


The Liaison from Wayne Enterprises

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: The Tuna Melt-verse [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Captain Amirica (AU), The West Wing
Genre: AU, Crossover, Don't expect this timeline to make sense at all, Gen, I'm literally bending everything I'm using to my whims, MCU was two decades previous to Bartlet's administration and Jason only died like six years ago
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-02-18 00:17:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 39,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13088460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: “And you think the kid who peed in my predecessor's ficus at a state dinner is right for the job?”





	1. Chapter 1

“Bruce.” 

Bruce Wayne smiles politely and gets to his feet, smoothing out his suit jacket before shaking the older man’s hand. “Mister President. So nice to see you.” 

Jed Bartlet, President of the United States of American, grins widely, accepting the handshake firmly. “It’s very good to see you. Please, step into the office.” 

Bruce follows him into the Oval Office, looking around interestedly as Jed heads for his desk. 

“So? To what do I owe a visit from Gotham’s favorite son?” 

Bruce grins, not sitting until the president does. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve chosen a new Wayne Defense liaison for you.” 

Jed freezes. “What about Harry?” 

“Harry is leaving in just a few months,” Bruce tells him.”He’s a wonderful man, and he’s earned a nice relaxing retirement.” 

“I couldn’t agree more,” Jed nods. “But he’ll be sorely missed in these parts. Who’s the new blood?” 

“I’ve enlisted one of my sons.” 

“Tell me it’s Dick,” Jed says, grins. 

Bruce’s lip twitches upward fondly. “No. Dick is very busy running the Wayne Foundation. He’s really enjoying it. Tim is pulling doubled-duty, going to med school and working for our R&D department. Damian is shadowing me, to learn the ropes of the company at large, and Duke is interning for Lucius Fox.” 

“Cassandra?” 

“Study abroad in Japan.” 

Jed stares at him. “So…Jason’s our man.” 

“He is. He’ll do well.” 

“He’s a thug.” 

“He’s not,” Bruce says evenly. “Well…he is. But the department of defense has been getting pushier about Wayne Defense offering artillery and weapons. Harry is wonderful, but he’s not built to play hardball that way. He’s great at selling people on tracking technology and defensive body armor, but going head-to-head with the DoD is beyond his skill set.” 

“And you think the kid who peed in my predecessor's ficus at a state dinner is right for the job?” 

Bruce does his best not to laugh. “Jason’s grown up.” 

“Don’t laugh. That ficus died a week later.” 

“Mister President, Jason is a good kid. He’s just…not afraid of anything.” 

“And you think that’s admirable?” 

“I think he’ll be able to look someone with much more power and position in the eyes and tell him “no” with no problem,” Bruce says. “And that’s what I need. I haven’t changed my mind on what Wayne Defense can offer the US military. I need someone who can make that perfectly clear.” 

Jed stays quiet for a long moment. “Don’t think I don’t know everything there is to know about your children, Bruce. I know what happened to Jason. I know what happened when he came back. You think he’s stable enough to work here?” 

“I do.” Bruce looks grim, avoiding eye contact. “Mistakes were made when Jason came back…I’ve worked hard to repair that relationship, and he’s worked hard to come back to our family…He’s also admitted that he needs a break from the family business. He’ll be living here in DC…Dupont Circle, and he’s promised he’ll at least attempt to stay out of trouble.” 

Jed eyes the other man appraisingly, finally giving a slow nod. “Then I guess we’ll see young Mister Todd in a few months.” 

“Yes, you will.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The senior staff discusses the switch

“I heard he peed in a ficus at a state dinner once,” Sam says. 

Toby wrinkles his nose. “Why couldn’t we have Dick? Or Duke? Isn’t Duke the sane one?” 

“I like Jason,” CJ comments. “He’s got moxy.” 

“Full of piss and vinegar,” Josh adds. 

“Emphasis on the piss,” Sam grumbles. 

“Good morning, Mr. President!” Jed Bartlett cries. “How was your evening, Mr. President? What’s on the docket for today, Mr. President?” 

The room goes quiet then and Leo smirks. 

“You can tell what’s on everyone’s minds,” he says, more amused than anything else. “I told them last night that Harry was retiring and Jason was taking his place.” 

“Yes, that’s true,” Bartlett nods. “Harry had his fill of us, and Bruce has chosen his second-oldest to replace him.” 

“The pee-er,” Toby mumbles. 

“Mr. Todd is an adult now, and if he acts like one upon his arrival, we’ll have no choice but to treat him like one,” the president reminds them. “I’ll be honest with you, Jason’s been through hell. He’s had a tough run. I don't blame Bruce for trying to help him out.” 

“He’s Bruce Wayne’s son, how tough could he have it?” Sam asks. 

“Before Bruce adopted him, Jason was living on the streets,” Leo cuts in. “His father disappeared after serving time in prison, and the woman he thought was his mother died of an overdose in the kid’s lap in their bathroom.” 

The room goes silent again. 

“His real mother died in an explosion that cost Jason years of his life,” Bartlett adds. “Let’s not kid ourselves into thinking that money solves everything.” 

“Which leads us to a very important question,” Toby says. “Is this kid stable enough to work at the White House?” 

“Bruce has assured me that he is,” Bartlett says. “Say what you will, but Bruce Wayne is an honest man. He wouldn’t send Jason here unless that were true.” 

“When was the last time he was here?” CJ asks. “Tell me it wasn’t the ficus.” 

“It wasn’t the ficus,” Bartlett confirms. “He accompanied Bruce last year when the DoD nearly had Harry on the ropes the last time they really pushed for firearms. Bruce showed up with Jason, who did nothing but sit in that meeting and look unhappy. It was effective to say the least.” 

“I remember that,” Josh says, grinning a little. “He’s like seven feet tall, right? Raven hair, with that weird skunk streak in the front? That kid is enormous. He looks like he could bench press me, Sam and Donna at the same time.” 

“He’s six-two,” CJ corrects him. 

“That’s still huge,” Sam complains. 

“Bruce is sending the person he believes is right for the job,” Leo tells them. “If he’s not, we’ll know pretty quickly. If he is, it’s business as usual.” 

“With a gigunde kid who pees in house plants,” Toby tacks on.

The president rolls his eyes. “What’s next?”


	3. Chapter 3

“And finally, After fifteen years as the liaison from Wayne Defense, Harry Feinstein will be retiring at the end of the year to enjoy time with his family and fly-fish at his cabin in Upstate New York. Yes, Greg?” 

“Who’s the replacement?” 

CJ grins out at the White House Press Corps. “I was just getting to that. Bruce Wayne himself has tasked one of his older sons to fill Harry’s shoes. We’re very excited to have him here. The senior staff is confident that- Yes, Danny?” 

“Which son?” 

“That would be Bruce’s second-oldest, Jason.” 

“Didn’t he pee in a ficus once?” Steve asks. 

CJ grins. “He was very young. He’s all grown up now, he’s an arms expert with a keen eye for defense and tactical gear. As I was saying, the senior staff is looking forward to Jason’s presence here at the White House. The president has every confidence that Jason’s relationship with the DoD will be a fruitful partnership. That’s all I got for you. See you at four o’clock.” 

As she steps away from the podium and heads to her office, CJ can’t help rolling her eyes. “Danny. I know you’re following me.” 

“Wayne has to be kidding with this choice.” 

“Danny-” 

“That kid is a trainwreck.” 

“Danny-” 

“Before Wayne took him in, he’d been busted for theft and prostitution.” 

CJ whirls around, angry now. “Gee, Danny, why the hell would a little kid steal or sell himself unless they realized if they didn't, they were gonna starve to death?” 

He shuts up. 

“If you think I didn’t do my research on this kid, then you really don’t think much of me,” CJ tells him as she sets her files down on her desk. “We pulled his files from child services -” 

“What about the four year blank spot?” Danny asks. 

“Everybody knows about the four-year blank spot,” CJ says. “It’s public record. He got caught in an explosion in Ethiopia, and spent four years learning to be a person again.” 

“Some people say he died.” 

“Some people also say they were abducted by Superman’s parents and given an anal probe, do you believe them too?” 

Danny shakes his head. “If you look close enough at the photos of the explosion, it’s hard to imagine anybody gettin’ out alive.” 

“Well, according to medical records and first-hand accounts, he did.” 

“Wouldn’t his face be permanently scarred?” 

“Bruce Wayne has a lot of money, Danny. It’s likely Jason underwent a lot of very extensive plastic surgery to repair that damage.” 

Danny sighs. “What if he did die?” 

“Then how is he here?” 

“I don’t know. Superman died that one time. Everyone thought Captain America was dead for seventy years. It’s not that crazy.” 

“Superman is an alien from another planet, and Captain America has super soldier serum running through his veins,” CJ points out. “Jason is a normal twenty-one-year-old boy who just happens to be very tall.” 

Danny frets still. “You ever heard of a reporter named Vicki Vale?” 

“At the Gotham Gazette? I have.” 

“She claims that Bruce Wayne is Batman.” 

CJ blinks rapidly. 

“If that’s true, that means his kids probably make up the rest of the Gotham vigilante club,” Danny says. “What if Jason Todd is one of the nuttier ones?” 

CJ stays quiet for a long moment. 

“Stop lookin’ at me like that.” 

“Like what?” 

“Like I’m a nut.” 

“I’m not-” 

“Yeah ya are.” 

“Danny, You just told me that you think that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Now, I admit, the man is very handsome, and very fit, but Batman? You think the guy who has refused to provide the military with weapons and ammo for the last twenty-five years is going out at night in a cape and a mask and breaking people’s limbs? And that he’s indoctrinating his children to do the same?”

“It’s not impossible.” 

“It’s not exactly a sane theory.” 

“Vicki’s close to the family. She knows them, and she’s seen the similarities.” 

CJ sighs. “Look, Danny, completely on the record, when the senior staff sat down and talked about Jason coming on, the consensus was that if he works out, great, and if he doesn’t, we’ll know pretty quickly, and we can act accordingly.” 

“So you’re not at all worried about the possibility of an incredibly dangerous vigilante roaming around the White House.” 

“Until he shows up in a mask and starts punching people, I think it’s a worry we’re gonna table.”

Danny nods, but says nothing else. 

CJ sighs softly. “Do this poor kid a favor? Don’t run the prostitution thing?”

“Yeah.” 

“Thank you.” 

“...Think he’s gonna pee in another house plant?” 

“He collects old books and World War One gas masks,” CJ tells him. 

“So probably not.” 

“Probably not.” 

“Kay….Just so you know, I got nothin’ against this guy.” 

CJ quirks an eyebrow. 

“I met him at a Wayne charity thing earlier this year, he was sneakin a plate of cocktail weinies to the dog. Seems like a sweet kid. A little rough, but a good guy. If the Republicans catch wind of one of the president’s major campaign supporters having a son with a criminal record, though…” 

“I know, Danny,” CJ nods. She grins a little. “Thank you.” 

“Yeah.” He turns to go but stops. “Hey - y’know Maggie Rogers landed a job at the Post?” 

CJ’s eyebrow lifts. “Maggie Rogers, Captain America’s oldest kid?” 

“Yeah. She’s been gunning for the junior correspondent job.” 

“Huh,” CJ grins. “She’s an incredible writer for a twenty-year-old kid. You guys are lucky to have her.” 

“That’s what I thought. You think she’d fit in around here?” Danny asks. 

“I think I’d get pissed at her about as much as I get pissed at you, so yeah, she’d probably do great.” 

Danny nods. “Yeah. Just wondering. We been goin back and forth on givin her the job or not, cause she’s so young. But the work she did on retracing her dad’s footsteps in Europe and the interviews she’s done with the remaining members of the SSR is really something.” 

CJ smiles. “I think you should give her the job.” 

“Okay.” 

“Okay.”


	4. Chapter 4

“You didn’t have to come along, Alf.” 

Alfred Pennyworth smiles kindly as he sets down one of Jason’s bags in the front hall. “One does benefit from a change of scenery every so often. And it’ll be nice to get away from Master Damian and Master Timothy’s constant squabbling.” 

“Yeah they kinda suck.” Jason sighs and sets down a box, looking around the spacious townhouse. “It’s nice.” 

“Yes, Master Bruce has had this property for some time,” Alfred tells him. “He stays here when he’s in town for government meetings.” 

Jason nods. “Makes sense.” 

They stand in silence for a long time, Jason shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. 

Alfred takes a breath. “May I say sir, that I am quite proud of you.” 

“Alf…” 

“It took a lot of strength to admit that you needed to leave,” the older man goes on. “That you needed to step away from the life you’d been living.” 

Jason shrugs and crosses his arms. “So...what now?” 

Alfred smiles kindly. “Now, we get you unpacked, sir. You have a 9 AM meeting with a member of the President’s senior staff tomorrow, and a ten AM meeting with two representatives from the department of defense. After that, you’ll be spending the day shadowing Mr. Feinstein. Master Bruce has asked you to check in round five o’clock.”

“And then what?” 

“Well, sir, this is a job with rather regular hours,” Alfred tells him. “You’ll be free to do as you please after you’re finished.” 

“Just so long as I’m not putting on the helmet.” 

“You did agree to leave the Red Hood behind unless absolutely necessary, sir,” Alfred points out.

“Yeah...I’m kinda dumb that way.” He scratches at his hair and grins at Alfred. “Let’s get the rest of the bags, and then maybe we can order some pizza or something.” 

Alfred rolls his eyes. “Honestly, Master Jason. Pizza. We’ll get you unpacked, and then I’ll fetch some groceries.” 

“Look, if you want to switch to Chinese food we can switch to Chinese food.” 

“Master Jason.” 

“Yeah, okay.” 

***** 

He’s reading in bed when his phone buzzes, and clicks the speaker button as he keeps reading. 

“Gimme a minute, B, I’m on the last page of this chapter.” 

Bruce sounds equal parts amused and impatient. “Jason…” 

Jason finishes the chapter and then snaps the book shut before sitting up. “Okay. I’m all yours. What?” 

“I wanted to make sure you were settling in alright.” 

“I thought check-in was tomorrow at five.” 

“It is,” Bruce tells him. 

Jason grins a little and shakes his head. “I can’t tell if you’re worried about me, or you’re just being a weird control freak.” 

“Little of column A, a little of column B…” he hears Dick’s voice in the background. 

“Tell Dickie to shut up.” 

“Hey! I heard that!” 

“Boys,” Bruce admonishes. 

“Sorry,” Jason and Dick say at the same time. 

“You’re doing okay?” Bruce asks. 

“I’m good,” Jason confirms as he looks around the uber-comfortable bedroom with its fireplace big windows and soft sheets. “I’ve got a full day tomorrow.” 

“I’m aware. I’ll expect a full write-up at five,” Bruce tells him. 

“Yeah, okay.” 

“Jason.” 

“Alright,” Jason laughs a little. “Okay. You’ll get your write-up.” 

“Good. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” 

“Yeah.”

“Behave yourself tomorrow, please,” Bruce says. 

“Aw, B, don’t you trust me?” 

“Jason.” 

“Best behavior,” Jason tells him. “Scout’s honor.” 

“You were never a boy scout!” Dick calls. 

“Why is he even standing there?” Jason asks Bruce. “Doesn’t he have a redhead to moon over or something?” 

“Goodnight, Jason.” 

“G’night, B.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Jason Todd.” 

He nods and steps into the office, holding out a hand. “Mr. McGarry.” 

Leo McGarry grins. “Leo’s fine. You look good, kid.” 

“Not bad for a dead man, huh?” 

“Not bad at all, have a seat.” 

Jason does, settling into one of the chairs, and Leo sits behind his desk. 

“How’s Gotham?” 

Jason nods thoughtfully. “Turns out it’s not really agreeing with me lately.” 

“No?” 

“Nah, I needed a change of scenery,” Jason admits. 

“Lemme guess,” Leo grins. “You tried to leave town under the radar, and your dad caught you.” 

“B is annoying that way,” Jason admits. 

Leo chuckles softly. “Where were you gonna go?” 

“Away.” 

“You know why you’re in my office and not Josh’s?” 

“Cause you know about-” Jason lifts his fingers to the sides his head, as if they were bat ears. 

“Well, yeah...but also, I wanna know what we’re dealing with,” Leo tells him. “You’ve been back for three years, and in that time, you’ve racked up not only a body count as the Red Hood, but a reputation of instability as Jason Todd. Everybody who doesn’t know about Bruce Wayne’s night gig around here still thinks he’s nuts for sending you. Danny Concannon from the Post already found out about the theft and prostitution from your orphan days.” 

Jason stays quiet, looking Leo in the eye evenly. 

“I get that those were desperate times,” Leo goes on. “But I swear to you, if I so much as hear a whisper about a guy in a red helmet on the streets of DC, I will have you arrested, and I’ll take down everyone you’re associated with.” 

“Leo-” 

“I mean it, Jason,” Leo cuts him off. “This isn’t Gotham. We don’t have an asylum full of freaks that need to be contained, or the Demon’s Head. We have dirty politicians and low-level crooks. While you’re in this position, you’re just Jason Todd. Bruce Wayne’s second eldest boy, here to work with the DoD.” 

Jason nods slowly. “You done?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Okay.” Jason leans forward in his chair. “I swear to you, Leo, I am not here to cause problems. And I already promised Bruce that the Red Hood stays in Gotham.”

“Good.”

“But if something bad happens, I don't have it in me to stand back and do nothing,” he continues. “I promise not to use lethal force unless I have no choice, but I don't play pretend victim and I sure as hell don't sit around and watch innocent people get hurt.”

Leo sighs. “Jason-”

“I left all my gear at home," Jason says. “The helmet, the armor, the weapons. Hell, I didn’t even bring a domino mask. If you sent the secret service to search my place, you wouldn’t find a single batarang. All I got are my fists and my wits. If I have to use them, I will. But I'm not here to play superhero. I left Gotham because I couldn’t do that anymore.”

Leo gazes at him for a long, quiet moment before nodding his head. “Okay then. I’m gonna take you at your word.” The phone buzzes then, and he picks it up, still looking at Jason. “Yes sir? We’ll be right in.” He hangs it up and grins a little. “He’s ready for you.” 

“He?” 

“The president,” Leo says. 

“But- I mean, I thought I was just meeting with you.” 

“Nope.” 

“Huh.” 

“C’mon.” 

Jason gets to his feet and follows Leo out of the office and across the hall, into the Oval Office. 

“Ah. Young Mr. Todd!” 

Jason nods, holding a hand out. “Mr. President.” 

Bartlet shakes his hand firmly, grinning. “It’s nice to see you again, though I’ve made sure to hide all of my house plants.” 

“I figure the antics of a fifteen-year-old little snot don’t look quite so cute on an adult. Your houseplants are safe.” 

“Thank god,” Bartlet says. “So? You talked to Leo.” 

“I did.” 

“You two came to an understanding?” 

“We did.” 

“Good. We’re all very excited to have you here.” 

“But you were hoping for Dick or Tim. I know.” 

Bartlet freezes for a moment and then sighs. “I won’t lie. Dick and Tim’s reputations are cleaner. You, Jason, are a little harder to explain between the criminal record and the four-year disappearing act. But you bring things to the table that Dick and Tim don’t have, which is part of the reason Bruce chose you.” 

“A smart mouth and a small bladder?” Jason jokes. 

“An extensive arms background and the ability to tell people to go to hell no matter who they are.” Bartlet grins a little. “Dick’s too nice. It’s why he’s so good for charity work. He’s got that giant heart and that yearning to please the people around him. He’s an entertainer, after all. Tim’s a nice kid, but he’s an idea man. You ask him to build you a rocketship, he’ll build you two and probably make sure there’s a slurpee machine inside both of them, but something tells me he’d just get frustrated with the DoD.” 

“So I’m the guy because I’m a jerk.” 

Bartlet just grins. “We’re all jerks around here, Jason. You fit right in.” 

“Excuse me, Mr. President.” 

Jason turns to find Charlie Young stepping into the office. 

“Yes, Charlie?” 

“You have a security briefing in a few minutes.” 

Bartlet nods. “Yes, I do. Jason? I’ll see you around.” 

Jason nods and shakes his hand again. “Yes sir.” 

He watches him go, and Leo pats his shoulder. 

“Come on. I’ll walk you down to your DoD meeting. Harry’ll be there, too.”

“Yeah. Okay.”


	6. Chapter 6

“That didn’t seem too bad,” Jason says as they walk out of the conference room and down the hall toward Toby’s office. 

“That’s because Harry is still taking lead,” Toby tells him. “Once you’re in the hot seat, they’re gonna be asking you for the moon.” 

Jason smirks a little. “I’ve only got one moon I can give them and they’re not gonna like it.” 

“Please do not drop trou in the White House,” Toby says. 

“Who’s dropping trou in the White House?” Sam asks, poking his head out of his office. 

“Not Jason,” Toby responds as he gets to his office.

“If they ask for the moon-” 

“Please don’t drop trou in the White House,” Toby repeats. 

Sam chuckles. “How’d it go?” 

“Fine,” Toby says. “Jason got a nice introduction, and sat in on the meeting. He was quiet, he was respectful, and everybody seemed happy.” 

“That won’t last,” Jason chimes in. “I’m none of those things.” 

“Harry’s got a private lunch date,” Toby tells Sam. “Jason and I are gonna take a walk to get a sandwich. You want anything?” 

“Thanks, but I’ve got Mallory coming by for lunch.” 

“You actually gonna eat lunch or is she gonna take your head off about school vouchers again.” 

“Thanks for the jinx, Toby.”

“My pleasure,” Toby says, and then looks up as CJ walks by. “Hey. You want a sandwich?” 

“I’m good,” she says, and smiles. “Hi, Jason.” 

He nods. “Miss. Cregg.” 

“Who are you and what have you done with the ficus pee-er?” she jokes, shaking his hand. 

“One day I’ll live that down.” 

“You won’t, but it’s cute that you wanna try,” she beams at him. “I’m actually headed over to the Oval Office. The Post hired a new Junior White House correspondent and the president wants to say hello.” 

“Maggie Rogers?” Sam asks. 

“Yep.” 

“She’s really young.” 

“But a great writer.” 

“And Captain America’s daughter,” Toby points out. 

“You’re crying nepotism?” CJ asks. 

“Steve Rogers is a hero to one and all, but his daughter is twenty. She’s not experienced enough.” 

“I’m twenty-one,” Jason shrugs. “I’m not experienced enough?” 

“No, you’re not,” Toby says. 

“How am I supposed to get experienced enough if I don’t get the experience?” Jason asks. “Am I supposed to work in the Wayne Enterprises mailroom and hope I can get noticed enough?”

“Yes,” Toby replies. “You’re supposed to work your way up, not start at the top.” 

“Then thank god for nepotism,” Jason grins.

“Have fun at lunch, guys,” CJ grins as she walks off. 

Jason smirks at Toby. “Sandwiches? And debates about gaining experience?” 

“I’m only agreeing to the sandwiches,” Toby tells him.

***** 

“Mr. President?” 

“Yes, Charlie.” 

“CJ is here with Danny and the new Post Junior Correspondent.” 

“Excellent.” He looks up from the papers on his desk and gets to his feet as CJ leads Danny and a blonde young woman into the room. 

“CJ, Danny, good to see you,” he says, shaking their hands, before grinning at the other woman. “Margaret Sarah.” 

Maggie Rogers grins sheepishly. “Maggie is fine, Sir.” 

“Well, yes, but when Steve came back from Dimension Z with his 2-year-old clone, he introduced you as Margaret Sarah.” 

“So I’m told.” 

“It’s good to have you aboard, Maggie.” 

“Thank you, sir.” 

“I read your pieces on the Strategic Scientific Reserve,” Bartlet tells her as he heads back to his desk. “You’re a talented writer. How’s your father?” 

“He’s fine,” Maggie grins. 

“How is he enjoying retirement?” 

“If it weren’t for my brother and sister still living at home, he’d be going nuts,” Maggie says with a grin. “But Joey’s almost a teenager and he’s keeping Dad on his toes, and Hannah is six going on thirty-six.” 

“So he’s fine.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Glad to hear it. Your step-mother?” 

“Still failing at being retired.” 

“She’s back in the field again, huh?” Bartlet grins. “We should just have the CIA fire her at this point.” 

“She’d just go rogue.” 

Bartlet chuckles. “Are you excited to work in the press pool?” 

“Yes, sir, and I know that you’ve known my father a long time, but I don’t intend to go easy on you.” 

“Good! That’s what I like to hear from my reporters. Even if CJ hates it.” 

“Yes, I do, sir,” CJ pipes up. 

“One day you’ll be used to it, Claudia Jean,” Bartlet teases. “Danny?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“You’re confident Maggie can do the job?” 

“I am, sir. She’s a great writer, and a fearless one, too.” 

Bartlet grins kindly at Maggie. “Well, Maggie’s seen her fair share of crap in her young life, so I can’t say I’m shocked.” he lifts her hand and pats it gently. “Okay.” 

“Thank you, Mister President,” CJ says, looking puzzled. 

“Yes, thank you, sir,” Maggie says quickly, before heading for the door. 

Danny follows her, and CJ lags behind. 

“We’ll talk later,” Bartlet tells her.

As she nods, she hears the President call for Charlie and ask what’s next.


	7. Chapter 7

Leo closes the door as the last staff member steps into the Oval Office at the end of the day. 

“Good, I’m glad you’re all here,” Bartlet says as he takes his glasses off and looks at Leo, Josh, Toby, Sam and CJ. “I wanted to touch base about Jason Todd and Maggie Rogers.” 

“The little kids somebody thought it was a good idea to let loose on the White House?” Toby asks. 

“Yeah, well, they probably don’t feel like little kids,” Bartlet says softly. He sits slowly. “We’ll start with Maggie. Her story is sadder, but it makes more sense than Jason’s.” 

Leo clears his throat. “Who here remembers a man named Brock Rumlow?” 

“The SHIELD agent?” Sam asks. “One of the ones who was really Hydra?” 

“Yeah,” Bartlet confirms. “Yeah. Rumlow had it in for Rogers. All the Avengers, actually, and everybody kept thinking he was dead, but he kept coming back.” 

“Didn’t that have to do with Ra’s Al Ghul and his Lazarus Pits?” Josh asks. “The...the Hydra goons struck up a deal with the Demon’s Head, right?” 

“Oh, we’ll get to the Demon’s Head, don’t you worry,” Bartlet tells him. “But for now, we’ll stick with Maggie. You know, for a kid who was force-cloned and then spent the first two years of her life in a hell dimension, she had a pretty normal upbringing. Steve eventually got married, so she’s got a couple of siblings. She grew up and went to school in Brooklyn, and wanted to travel and write and take photos.” 

“So where does Rumlow come in?” Toby asks. 

“When she was seventeen, Rumlow and his goons raided the Rogers’ home while Maggie and her best friend, Annie Stark were babysitting their siblings,” Leo tells them. “The adults had gone out for the night.” 

“Two weeks,” Bartlet says. “Two weeks in a cold, damp warehouse in Jersey before anybody found them. The younger kids were half-starved, Steve’s boy lost a leg.” 

“And Maggie and Annie were young and pretty,” CJ finishes gravely. 

The room goes cold and quiet. 

“Yeah,” Bartlet nods finally. “Yeah.” 

“She didn’t tell anybody,” Leo says. “When Steve found out, he begged her to tell him why neither of the girls had told anybody, and Maggie said she was too worried about her brother’s missing leg. She wanted him to be taken care of, and she’d be fine.” 

“That’s one tough girl,” Josh comments softly. 

“Which is why, before you run your mouths about children running around the White House, I wanted you to have some facts,” Bartlet tells them. “Obviously you shouldn’t treat her any differently than any other reporter, but you should treat her with some respect and like an adult. She’s earned that much.”

“What about Jason?” Sam asks. 

“That’s...complicated,” Leo says. “You guys may wanna sit down for-” 

“Bruce Wayne is Batman,” Bartlet cuts in.

“I’m sorry, what?!” 

“He’s who?!” 

“Batman?!” 

“Is this a joke/?!” 

“Sit down and shut up!” Leo bellows. 

The four of them take a seat, calming down. 

“Yeah, I know,” Bartlet says. 

“Sir,” Toby says, barely holding it together. “Since when do we not throw illegal vigilantes in jail when we find out their identities?”

“Since that man and his kids are what generally what keep Gotham City from being blown up on a weekly basis.” 

“Let it explode!” Toby cries. “The majority of that city is filled with sick, twisted-” 

“American citizens,” Bartlet snaps. “Do I look like Lex Luthor to you? When he was president, he wanted to let that entire city, innocent, guilty and all fall into the damn ocean. If a broken man in a bat costume is what keeps that place from total anarchy, then so be it. I’m not in the business of abandoning Americans to the whims of a handful of crackpots.” 

“Sir,” CJ says slowly. “I’m sorry. Did you say ‘that man and his kid’?” 

“I did.” 

“Oh holy hell, Jason was a Robin,” Josh says. 

“Yeah,” Leo nods. “The second one. Blown up in Ethiopia by the Joker when he was fifteen.” 

Sam grimaces. “The four year blank spot.”

“Yeah,” Leo says. “Nobody knows how or why he came back from the dead, but reports say he clawed his way out of his own grave. He wandered down the road and eventually got picked up and taken to a hospital where he was a John Doe. He was in a vegetative state for five months and one day he just got up and left.”

“He lived on the streets til Ra’s Al ghul picked him up,” Bartlet adds. “Dunked him in a Lazarus pit.”

“So which one is he?” Josh asks. 

“What?” Bartlet asks.

“Which...he’s not Robin, Robin hasn’t even hit puberty yet,” Josh goes on. “So which one is Jason?” 

“The Red Hood,” Leo tells them. 

Toby can’t hold it in any longer. “The Red- The Red Hood!?” 

“Toby-” 

“The Red Hood has a body count!” Toby yells. “He’s the only bat who actively kills people! We’re working with a murderer!” 

“Technically, he should be in jail,” Sam points out.

“You’re damn right he should be in jail!” Toby says as he turns to Bartlet. “All of them should! Every last one! They take the law into their own hands! They’ve helped cause millions of dollars in property damage, and what they do endangers the lives of the citizens you hold so dear! Including his children!” 

Bartlet doesn’t reply. 

“And the one who’s been roaming around the White House all day is the one with the most blood on his hands,” Toby finishes. 

The room goes silent again for a long moment as Bartlet sits back. 

When he speaks again, his voice is calm. 

“I was in my twenties when Thomas and Martha Wayne were killed,” he says. “Our mothers were good friends. When the Waynes died, it turned out that they were using their considerable funds to keep Gotham from falling into hell. They were funding clinics and public works projects that the mobs wanted blocked; They helped a lot of people. But it wasn’t enough. They fought against hell, and they lost, and when Bruce turned eighteen he realized that unless he did something about it, he would lose too. All the money in the world can’t stop madmen bent on destruction. He swore he was gonna do his damndest to make sure no other kid had to watch their parents get gunned down in the streets of his city. He left for seven years to train and to find himself, and when he came back, Gotham had fallen to the mobs and madmen. And he got to work.”

Everyone stays quiet. 

“Jason Todd died,” Leo says. “He came back broken, and was dunked in a lake that makes you crazy and then dumped onto the world by Talia Al Ghul, who isn’t so sane herself. Jason’s not here to cause problems. He’s here for a second chance.” 

Josh struggles a little. “He...he really only killed drug dealers and bad guys, so...so there’s that. At least…” 

“Yeah, that’s a real comfort,” Toby grumbles. 

“It is, actually,” CJ counters.

“What?” Toby asks. 

“It is a comfort,” CJ repeats. “To know that he’s not here to hurt anybody; that the people he does hurt-” 

“Kill.” 

“Toby-” 

“He kills people!” Toby yells. 

“And do you know why?” Bartlet asks, raising his voice a little. 

“No! I don’t know why serial killers do what they do!” 

Josh rolls his eyes. “He’s not a-” 

“He’s murdered more than three people, that means he’s a serial killer,” Toby snaps. 

“You gonna let me answer the question of why?” Bartlet asks. 

Toby sighs and nods. “Yes, Sir.” 

Bartlet sighs as well, shaking his head. “Jason Todd was beaten with a crowbar. Brutally. Viciously. Gleefully. The Joker had him and his biological mother tied up, and he beat Jason within an inch of his life. He was fifteen, and that monster probably laughed the whole way through.” 

Toby says nothing. 

“And then the Joker activated a bomb and left,” Bartlet goes on. “Bruce pulled up just as the building went off, and when he found Jason it was far, far too late to save him. When Jason came back...after clawing his way out of that grave, and after the pit, he found out that the Joker was still alive. That he’d gone on to paralyze Barbara Gordon, and was still working the revolving door at Arkham however he felt like it.”

“He snapped,” Josh says softly. 

Leo nods. “Yeah.” 

Toby rubs his face. “Josh…” 

“He’s probably got PTSD and...whatever the hell else you get when you die a violent death and then come back, and the Lazarus pit...it turns everything you’re feeling up to eleven, and he snapped.” Josh swallows, looking uneasy. “He goes flight or fight, he chooses fight, but he was trained by the God Damn Batman, so his fight turns into kill.” 

“Bull,” Toby snaps. 

“Toby-” 

“Bull! He targeted drug dealers and criminals!” 

“Because he went nuts!” Josh defends. He turns to Leo and the president. “Has he gotten help? Seen a therapist? Is he doin’ the actual work to get better?” 

Leo nods slowly. “Yeah. He’s got a regular therapist in Gotham Barbara talked him into. He told me he tried to leave Gotham without anybody noticing because he was so fed up with his life.” 

“Why is it the White House’s job to fix him?” Toby asks. 

“We’re not fixing him,” Bartlet says. “We’re giving him a chance. Bruce believes he’s-” 

“Bruce is a freak in a bat costume who jumps around on rooftops and should be in jail,” Toby responds. 

“I’m sick of this,” Leo snaps, getting to his feet and going over to the president’s desk. He lifts a file, and opens it up, pulling a large photo out and slapping it onto the table. 

CJ and Sam both look away. 

“Taken when the body was recovered,” Leo says harshly as he looks at Toby. “If this was your son, you wouldn’t have rested until the Joker was dead. You would have taken this to every judge who would listen and sought the death penalty.” 

“You’re damn right,” Toby agrees. 

“Bruce did nothing,” Leo tells him. “Not a damn thing. He grieved, and he moved on. Jason came back and found out that the son of a bitch who literally blew him up was still walking around with not a care in the world, and he lost it. And so would you. The difference is that you’d have us to pick up the pieces, and he had nobody. The only two people who knew who he was and that he was alive were crazy, and their intentions were selfish and evil, and if that’s what you had to work with, you’d probably do some back things too.” 

Toby says nothing.

“We’re gonna keep working with Jason,” Bartlet tells them. “This conversation doesn’t leave this room.” 

He receives a mumbles chorus of “Yes Mr. President” as they get up to leave.


	8. Chapter 8

“That’s not a tunamelt,” Maggie Rogers says to the sandwich maker behind the counter. “That’s a hot tuna sandwich. A tunamelt is open-faced.” 

“Miss-” 

“If it was a tunamelt you would put the tomato and then the tuna and then the cheese on top of both slices of bread and run it through a rotating toaster that didn’t have one of those drops,” she goes on. “Big babel toasters have drops for the bagels to come out the bottom but sandwich toasters don’t have that, they just come out the other end, all toasted and melty and-” 

“Miss. Did you still want your sandwich?” 

Maggis sighs softly. “Yes, please.” She pays and then settles into a corner booth. Before she can take the first sullen bite of her sandwich, she hears a confused voice at the counter.

“What are you doing?” 

“I was making your-” 

“I asked for a tunamelt.” 

“Sir-” 

The man runs a hand through his thick, dark hair, and Maggie can see a shock of white just at his forehead. “A tuna melt is open faced. That’s why it’s not called a sandwich.” 

“Sir-” 

“Why would you advertise tunamets without actually serving them?” 

“That’s what I wanna know,” Maggie pipes up. 

The man turns to her and grins and then turns back to the counter. “See?” 

The clerk looks defeated. “Sir, did you want order something else?” 

“Yeah, I’ll have a turkey club,” the man says. 

Maggie sits back as he wanders over. She smiles. “You’re Jason Todd.” 

“Guilty.” 

“You’re the new Liason from Wayne Enterprises.” 

“Also guilty,” Jason says. “Do I get a name, or are we just gonna list off my resume?” 

She grins wider. “Maggie Rogers,” she says, holding out a hand. “Junior White House correspondent for the Washington Post.” 

He shakes her hand, his own grin getting a little nervous. “You’re a reporter.” 

“Uh-huh,” she nods. “You’re looking a little pale in the face.” 

“Cause you’re a reporter,” Jason repeats. “And I’m new here, and I don’t know I am and am not supposed to talk to at this point.” 

“I promise I will not write a process piece about our mutual tunamelt preferences.” 

“Appreciated.” 

She tilts her head curiously. “Although, you know, I’m a reporter. I’m not allowed to eat in the Mess without an invite...liaisons are generally allowed. What are you doing here?” 

“Ah, Toby Ziegler has been giving me the evil eye all day,” Jason tells her. “I’m not sure what I did, but I needed a breather before my next round of meetings.” 

Maggie wrinkles her nose. “I wonder what that’s about. You wanna sit with me?” 

Jason blinks and then shrugs. “Yeah. Yeah, sure.” He hops back over to the counter, grabbing his food and sitting down across from her. “Rogers, you said your last name was.” 

She nods, taking a bite of tunamelt. “You know, for not being a real tunamelt, it’s not bad.” 

“I know that name, Rogers.” 

“It’s a common name.” 

“Not that common.” 

“Rogers and Hammerstein, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Who Framed Roger Rabbit…” 

“Steve Rogers,” Jason adds, and then freezes, looking at her. “Whoa. Holy shit on a shingle.” 

Maggie rolls her eyes. “Get it out of your system. Come on.” 

“You’re Captain America’s daughter.” 

“And you’re Billionaire Playboy Philanthropist Bruce Wayne’s son.” 

He rolls his eyes. “That man’s engaged to be married. He’s not so playboy anymore.” 

Maggie snaps a finger. “That’s right. He’s engaged to a former thief. Selina Kyle.” 

“She’s not just a former thief,” Jason defends as he tears into his sandwich. “She’s a great former thief.” 

Maggie snickers and sits back. “How’d Bruce Wayne’s bad boy son get saddled with this gig?” she asks. 

“Am I on the record?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow at her as he takes a sip of water. 

“No.” 

“Are you sure?” 

She laughs softly, amused. “Yes.” 

He nods. “I died and then came back to life. Then I killed a bunch of people, I beat up the entire family, I blew up a few buildings and slept with Bruce’s ex, and then when I finally calmed the fuck down after a year and a half of total, utter insanity, I tried to leave town without anybody noticing.”

Maggie laughs despite herself and shakes her head. “that's quite a story, Jason Todd.”

“Yeah well, I read a lot of books,” he grins. “I know how to weave a decent yarn.”

“You read a lot?” 

“A shit ton,” he says as he takes another bite of his sandwich. “Which, along with being an expert in firearms, is how I got this job.” 

“Ah,” Maggie nods. She sips her soda and finishes up her sandwich, before getting to her feet. “It was nice meeting you, Jason Todd. See you around.” 

He nods and grins at her. “You too, Maggie Rogers. Don’t be a stranger.” 

She lifts an eyebrow at him before heading out, grinning to herself.

“Hey, there ya are!” 

Maggie turns and grins, waiting for her boss. “Hey, Danny.” 

“You get some lunch in?” 

“Yeah, I got the tunamelt...but it wasn’t a tunamelt,” Maggie tells him. “It was good, but…” 

“Missin’ your corner bodegas, huh?” Danny asks, amused. 

“Like crazy,” she tells him. “What are we doing next?” 

“We’re back in the press pool, CJ’s got some news for us. Come on.” 

She glances back at Jason through the deli window, and smirks, before following Danny off.

*****

“We told the senior staff last night.” 

Abbey Bartlet frowns at her husband from the mirror. “About what?” 

“About Maggie. About Jason.” 

She freezes as she fixes her hair, and slowly turns to him. “You…” 

“They needed to know,” Bartlet tells her. 

“Those are not your stories to tell, Jed,” Abbey tells him seriously. “Those are deep, personal stories, and they’re not yours to-” 

“They’re working in my White House,” he snaps. “They’re working in my White House, and the staff needed to know. You don’t have to agree with me, but-” 

“So now you’ve got the senior staff walking around on eggshells around these two kids who are just trying to live their lives?” Abbey snaps. 

“They needed to know,” Bartlet argues again. “What happens if Jason goes off the rails? If, god forbid, Brock Rumlow finds a way off the Raft and comes looking for Captain America’s kids again? They need to be prepared, Abbey. Yeah, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s necessary.” 

Abbey closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “You really think Jason’s going to go nuts again?” 

Bartlet blows out a slow breath. “No, I don’t. But I do think Rumlow has a shot in hell of breaking out of prison. And it’s important for the senior staff to know why he’d come here.” 

“You think to tell them that Jason can be trusted in an emergency?” Abbey asks. 

He says nothing. 

“Dammit, Jed.” 

“I don’t know if he can!” he cries. “Bruce doesn’t even know. He sent the kid here with no gear. Leo got a promise out of him that he’s got no weapons, no gadgets, not even the damn Red Hood helmet. What I do know is that the kid deserves a second chance.” 

“Who disagreed with you the most?” Abbey asks. 

“Toby. He doesn’t think we should let killers into the White House.” 

“Ordinarily, I’d agree,” Abbey nods. “But…” 

Bartlet nods too. ‘But.”

***** 

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Jason says as he follows Toby Ziegler down the hall. 

“I haven't been.” 

“You are,” Jason says. “Does my breath stink? Do I smell or something?” He lifts an arm to sniff his own armpit as he follows Toby into his office, and the older man closes the door.

“Well, common sense dictates that you avoid murderers,” Toby snaps once the door is closed. 

Jason stops, staring at him. “...I…” 

“Yeah.” 

They stand in silence for a long, long moment. 

“I’m gonna go,” Jason says quickly. 

“Give me a good reason not to call the cops on you,” Toby snaps, before he can open the door. “Just one. I want one good reason why you shouldn’t be in jail.” 

Jason takes a breath and turns to him. “There isn't one,” he says simply. “I went nuts, I broke a lot of laws, I killed a bunch of drug peddling wastes of space, I attempted to kill most of my family. There is no good reason I shouldn't be rotting in a high security jail cell.”

Toby says nothing, staring at him.

Jason shakes his head, and then takes a seat on the couch. “Go ahead. Call secret service. Have them come drag me off. We can say nobody knew. Not the president or Leo or Bruce. We'll say nobody knew. It'll just be me who goes down.”

Toby doesn’t move, or speak. Eventually, he sits down in his chair, swiveling back and forth, watching Jason. 

“You feel remorse for what you did?” Toby asks. 

“Some of it,” he admits. “Not all of it.” 

Toby goes quiet again, but eventually speaks up. “My father did very bad things.” 

“Yeah,” Jason nods. “Mine too. My...actual father. Not B. I mean B’s done some pretty fucked up shit, but-” 

“Yeah,” Toby cuts him off. “This is what gets me. This is what-” He blows out a breath. “You’re a kid.” 

“Kinda. Sometimes, I guess.” 

“No, you are. You’re a little kid. And you’ve done...what you did…” 

“Yup.” 

“How did you even make the decision to take that path?” Toby asks. “To go that far?” 

“I got some very bad advice from B’s ex-girlfriend,” Jason says. “And I was angry, and crazy, and at the time, that path was clear. It made sense. I was doing what he couldn’t-wouldn’t do. I was cleaning up my city in a way that would last.” 

“By taking lives.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Joker’s still alive.” 

Jason glowers at him. “You’re trying to figure out if I’m gonna go nuts again.” 

“Yes,” Toby concedes. “Are you?” 

“Not today.” 

“Okay.” 

“Gonna call secret service?” Jason asks. 

“No,” Toby tells him. “Not unless you go crazy.” 

“Fair,” Jason nods. “What’re you doing after work?” 

“More work.” 

“Got time for a drink?” 

“Probably not.” 

“I’m buying.” 

Toby nods slowly. “I might be able to squeeze you in.”


	9. Chapter 9

“I’m right.” 

“No.” 

“I am.” 

“Jason.” 

“I’m right and you can’t admit it.” 

“You’re the most wrong a person can be,” Toby tells him. “Gotham is not better than New York City!” 

“Gotham is better than New York City, and I’ll tell you why,” Jason says, pointing his beer bottle at the older man.

“You’re wrong.” 

“Gotham has better baked goods,” Jason tells him. 

“Like hell it does,” Toby snaps. 

“Kanelli’s Bakery in the Bowery,” Jason argues. “Five-thirty in the morning, they’re just pulling everything out for the day. It’s the best damn thing you’ve ever tasted.” 

“You have not lived,” Toby tells him heatedly. “You have not truly lived your life until you’ve been to Veniero’s on 11th street between First and Second.” 

“Ah, god, is he talking about New York streets again?” Josh asks as he pulls up a chair and takes a seat at their table. 

The bar is busy but not overly crowded, and Toby glances at Josh as he takes a sip of his beer, and Josh waves down a waiter for his own.

“He is,” Jason confirms. “He’s talking about Veniero’s in New York, which can’t hold a damn candle to Kanelli’s in the Bowery.” 

Josh laughs. “I think it’s cute that you’re trying to help the Gotham City tourism board.” 

Jason laughs. “Come for the baked goods, stay for the assholes in masks.” 

They all laugh at that as the waiter sets a beer down in front of Josh and he thanks him, before turning to Toby. “So...I take it you two talked.” 

“We did,” Toby nods. “We didn’t quite reach an agreement, so much as a stalemate.” 

Josh nods thoughtfully. “You know, now that the cat’s outta the bag, I gotta ask. How’d it start?” 

“What, with Bruce?” Jason asks, sitting back. 

“Yeah.” 

Jason smiles a little and nods. “He caught me tirejacking the Batmobile.” 

“No way that actually happened,” Toby says, trying not to laugh. “No way.” 

“I swear on my undead soul,” Jason tells them. “I’m like two tires in, and he walks up...cape, cowl, growly voice, and I tried to run, and he caught me...except I was still carrying the lug wrench I was using,” Jason goes on. “So me, and mind you, I’m like, eleven, I swing and hit him right in the gut with the wrench and I go running.” 

“What happened after that?” a new voice asks as Donna Moss sits down, and steals Josh’s beer. 

Josh sighs heavily. “Jason Todd, Donna Moss, my senior assistant. Donna, this is Jason, he’s the...new liaison from Wayne Enterprises.” 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Donna smiles. “How’s the job going so far?” 

“Ah it’s fine. Right now, I’m just shadowing Harry,” Jason tells her. “And...after I slugged Batman with a lug wrench and ran, he caught me, and dumped my ass on Bruce.” 

“And the rest is history?” Toby asks, raising his eyebrows. 

“More like old news,” Jason says. 

“Is it true Bruce Wayne just takes in orphans like...every other month?” Donna asks. 

“Eh, once every three or four years,” Jason tells her. “He gets this weird itch like the billions of dollars he donates to charity isn’t enough so he finds a sad kid with no parents and takes them in.” 

“And he works with Batman to find sad orphan children?” Donna asks slowly, looking skeptical. 

“Just the one time,” Jason grins. “I’m special like that. All the other kids, B found on his own.”

Donna smiles curiously, tilting her head. “It’s funny to hear Bruce Wayne referred to so casually. I think of Bruce Wayne and I think of this...dapper...proper businessman.” 

Jason takes a sip of his beer and smiles at her. “You’re not wrong. Man eats his hamburger with a knife and fork.” 

“No way,” Josh laughs. “That’s not real,” he says. 

“It’s so real,” Jason tells him. “Hold on.” He pulls his phone out, flipping through photos until he pulls up a picture of Bruce, hunched over a table in what is clearly a fast food joint, hamburger settled in front of him, holding both a knife and fork. “I keep meaning to have this printed and framed.” 

Donna bursts into laughter, holding a hand over her mouth. “Oh my god! Look at him! I’ve never seen him look so unhappy before and he’s in the newspaper like every week!” 

Jason cracks a grin. “That’s like his resting face when the media isn’t in the room.” He takes a sip of his beer and looks around at them “Can I ask you guys a question?” 

Josh shrugs. “Sure.” 

“What do you guys know about Maggie Rogers?” 

Donna smiles slowly and looks at Josh knowingly. 

Josh doesn’t seem to pay any attention. “She’s Captain America’s daughter, and CJ is terrified that she’s gonna take over the White House press room every time she’s there.” 

“Josh!” Donna cries, whapping him in the arm. 

“What?! If she’s anything like her father, she’ll look sweet and innocent, and then she’ll turn out to be your worst nightmare.” 

Toby chuckles a little and looks at Jason. “Why?” 

“Nothing. No,” Jason blurts out. “No reason.” 

“Have you met her yet?” Donna asks. 

“Yeah, yeah, we uh...we were both getting lunch,” Jason tells them. “The little deli across the street. We both ordered a tuna melt.” 

“They don’t make tuna melts there,” Toby says. “They make hot tuna sandwiches with cheese, that’s not a tuna melt.” 

“Yeah, Maggie and I both found that out the hard way,” Jason nods. 

“You both had the same deli order?” Donna asks, looking completely smitten with the situation. “That’s so cute.” 

“More coincidence than cute,” Josh says, and gets smacked in the arm again. “What?! It is! Look, Jason, Maggie’s a nice kid. But she’s all business when it comes to her writing, and she’s a journalist. You’ll wanna be careful what you say around her.” 

“Yeah,” Jason nods. “Yeah, of course.” 

“Also, her father can lift a car,” Toby adds. “So if you’re thinking about dating her, you may want to take that into consideration.” 

“Guys, stop being negative about this!” Donna cries. “Impeding the course of young love gives you bad karma. Jason, you should ask her to dinner.” 

His eyes go wide, and his already-pale face seems to get paler in the dimly lit bar. “I should-say-what-now?” 

“Ask her out,” Donna repeats. “You guys would be really cute together.” 

“I-” He shakes his head. “I have to take a piss.” He hops up quickly and stalks off, leaving the trio alone. 

“What did I say?” Donna asks, frowning. 

Josh sits back, sipping his beer. “I’m ninety-eight percent sure he’s never asked anybody to dinner before.” 

Donna blinks. “What?! How is that possible?” 

“He disappeared for four years starting when he was fifteen,” Toby tells her. “Wherever he was, he wasn’t learning how to date.” 

“Poor guy,” Donna mutters, and then goes quiet. 

Josh watches her smile slowly. “Oh god. Oh no.” 

Toby frowns. “What?” 

Donna smiles at them widely. 

“Noooo, no no no no no,” Josh repeats. “No.” 

“What?!” Toby asks again. “What?” 

Donna just keeps smiling.


	10. Chapter 10

Harry Feinstein is a kind man. Jason’s known him since he was a kid, and he can safely say that Harry’s one of the good guys. 

That state dinner where Jason had peed in the ficus? Harry had laughed, and shook his head, and patted Jason’s shoulder, and then taken him to a baseball game in Baltimore the next day while Bruce was trapped in meetings. 

“I have sons,” Harry had said. “You’re not that different from them.” 

He’d bought Jason a hot dog, and an Orioles ballcap (he still has it), and they’d bummed around the harbor for a little. 

Jason likes Baltimore. It’s weird, and it’s a little dangerous and everybody seems to know everybody else (“Smalltimore,” Harry had commented. “It’s a running gag with the locals.”), and it’s not so different from Gotham.

Now, Harry chuckles softly as he packs up his office. It’s nice, in the Wayne Enterprises building on Capitol Hill. The window is big, and the view of the city is pretty great. 

“You sure you gotta go so soon, Harry?” Jason asks, as he leans against the wall. 

“‘Go so soon,’ he says,” Harry jokes. “You know how long I been in this job?” 

Jason grins. “Yeah, I do.” 

Harry smiles, and walks over, patting Jason’s shoulders. “If you need anything, you call my phone. I always have it charged.” 

“Even if it’s just fly-fishing tips?” Jason teases. 

“Especially if it’s fly-fishing tips,” Harry laughs. He gazes at Jason. “I want you to remember something for me.” 

“What?” 

“I want you to remember, that whatever’s happened in the past, you don’t have to let that define you. You were a good kid.” 

Jason snorts. 

“You were,” Harry repeats, shaking Jason’s shoulders gently. “And you’re a good man now. You’re a good fit for this job, and I can’t think of a better person to step into my shoes.” 

“Not even Dickie?” 

Harry chuckles. “Dick is a big sweetheart. That’s why he works in charity and not politics.” 

Jason laughs softly too, rubbing his eyes. “I’m worried I can’t make this work. That I can’t make anything work, Harry. What if I’m too screwed up for this?” 

Harry squeezes his shoulder. “You know, my wife Shira’s therapist says that sometimes you gotta take things a minute at a time. What’s happening right now. And then what’s next, and what’s after that? It was good advice, especially after Shira got gassed by the Scarecrow. So. One minute at a time, Jason.” 

Jason nods slowly, thinking that over. “You know? I think I can do that.” 

“I know you can,” Harry tells him. “As for me? I’ve got a lot to catch up on. Napping. Fishing. Spoiling the grandkids.” He packs the last of his boxes and smiles. “Am I going to see you at the retirement party on Saturday?” 

“With bells on,” Jason says. “Wouldn’t miss it. B’s even coming down with Selina.” 

“I always liked her,” Harry says. “Kept your old man on a tight leash, and didn’t take crap from you kids the way some of his other girlfriends did.” 

“Look, it’s not our fault nearly every other girlfriend was so easy to push around,” Jason says. 

“It doesn’t help that there are so many of you,” Harry shakes his head. “I have three boys. How Bruce deals with five kids, plus the kids he mentors, plus friends and significant others, I’ll never know.” 

“You forgot the pets.” 

“Oy, the cow,” Harry laughs. 

Jason laughs too, as a few men walk in and start to lift the boxes. 

Harry waits for them to leave before reaching out and shaking Jason’s hand. “Good luck, Jason. I don’t think you’ll need it, though.” 

Jason grins and shakes his hand. “Thank, Harry.” 

***** 

“So Jason Todd has a big adorable crush on Maggie Rogers,” Donna says as she catches up to CJ in the halls. 

CJ laughs incredulously as she heads from the pressroom to her office. “What?” 

“Josh and I had drinks after work with Toby and Jason and Jason asked about her, and they had the same deli order, and when I suggested that he ask her to dinner, he looked like he was going to blow chunks. It’s so cute.” 

“Donna…” 

The blonde frowns as she stops in CJ’s doorway. “They’re just about the same age. They’re both smart and good-looking and personable...why am I the only one who thinks they’d be cute together?” 

CJ blows out a breath. “Because Jason has quite the history, Donna. And Maggie is the daughter of a national treasure.” 

“Who, may I remind you was also an orphan for a while, and broke the law when he tried to enlist more than once, faking names and place of birth multiple times to do so.” 

“It’s very sweet that you wanna get these two crazy kids together,” CJ says. “But Jason might be a little heavier on the crazy, and I don’t know if-” 

“Aw, god,” Leo’s voice says from behind Donna. “Please tell me you two aren’t trying to reenact the matchmaker scene from Fiddler on the Roof.” 

Donna steps aside, frowning a little. “Good morning, Leo.” 

“Seriously, Donna, don’t you have work to do?” 

“I can multitask,” Donna says defensively. 

CJ tries not to laugh. “You needed something, Leo?” 

“Yeah, speaking of Rogers, the Captain is coming to town in a couple of days,” Leo says. “He’s gonna have lunch with the president, but he’s mostly here to check up on Maggie.”

“Does Maggie know?” CJ asks. “I’d like to talk to her first before I feed it to the rest of the room.” 

Leo nods. “Yeah, she knows. Give it to the room this afternoon. Let the rest of the group razz her a little for her old man coming to check up on her, it’ll be good for her.” He turns to go. 

“Leo?” 

He stops and turns back to her. “Yeah, CJ?” 

She takes a breath. “Do you think Toby is right? About Jason Todd being dangerous?” 

“I do,” Leo tells her, his voicing softening a little. “But not to us.” 

CJ nods, leaning back and thinking about that. 

“But you see a crazy bastard in a purple suit with a scary grin walk into the building, you’ll wanna hide under your desk.” 

“Yeah.” 

*****   
“Lastly, on Friday, Captain America himself will be coming to the White House to have lunch with the president,” CJ says, and the room erupts in soft chuckles as all eyes fall on the newest member of the press corps. “And check up on his oldest daughter.” 

Maggie sinks in her seat a little, and Danny nudges her. 

“Maggie, will you be joining the President and your father for lunch?” Danny asks teasingly. 

“Nope!” Maggie cries, sitting up quickly. “I am not invited. But! He’s coming over for dinner that night, and I am gonna make a pot roast.” 

“Can I come?” CJ asks. 

“Forget you, what about me?” Danny asks. “I like pot roast and Captain America.” 

“You’d be labeled a traitor if you didn’t,” one of the other reporters jokes, and the room laughs. 

“That’s a full lid,” CJ grins as she steps off the stand. 

Danny nudges Maggie again. “Head out, I’ll catch up.” 

Maggie frowns. “Why can’t I come with?” 

“Cause I’m gonna go flirt with the press secretary.” 

“I’m out. I’ll see you later!” She hops to her feet and gathers her things, heading out of the press room in the other direction, just in time to knock into a tall man passing by. “Oh! Sorry!” 

Jason Todd turns and grins. “S’okay. Hi.” 

She grins back, surprised to see him. “Uhm...hi.” 

“Finishing up for the night?” he asks. 

Maggie nods, adjusting her coat in her arms. “Yeah. You?” 

“One more meeting and then I’m out,” Jason tells her. “Today’s my predecessor's last day.” 

“Oh wow,” she grins. “That’s too bad, though.” 

“That he’s leaving?” 

“That you have one more meeting,” Maggie corrects him. “Otherwise I’d say we should go get a drink.” 

Jason swallows, and looks nervous, but in an adorable way that makes Maggie smile widely at him, enjoying that idea that someone who looks so confident could be caught off guard by her.  
“Raincheck?” 

She nods. “Definitely,” she says, before heading in the other direction toward the main lobby. She grins back at him again, and watches him stand there and stare, dumbfounded.


	11. Chapter 11

He wakes up, and shouts, and he’s suddenly not in That Warehouse, but the bed in Bruce’s place in Dupont Circle. He looks around frantically, fumbling for the bedside lamp and then rubs his face. 

“Master Jason?” 

Jason looks up and swallows. “H-hey. Hey, Alf. I uh...hey.” 

“A nightmare, I presume?” 

“More like a memory,” Jason mutters, rubbing at his hair. “You should go back to sleep. I’m sorry I woke you. I’m okay.” 

Alfred sighs heavily and steps into the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Do you know, my boy, I have the strangest craving for hot chocolate. Would you care to join me?” 

“Alf-” 

“I’d very much hate to drink it alone.” 

Jason sighs and rubs his eyes, nodding. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.” 

***** 

“Well, he’s really cute.” 

Annie Stark huffs impatiently over the phone. “Like a puppy? Or…” 

“Annie…” Maggie groans as she gives herself a pedicure on her couch. The phone sits next to the bottle of nail polish on the coffee table in her Georgetown apartment. 

“What?!” Annie’s voice squeaks from the phone’s speaker. “It’s not like you date a lot. I want details. I want all the details. How tall is he? Is his forearm bigger than my head? How’s his butt?” 

“Annie!” 

“I know you’ve looked.” 

Maggie rolls her eyes, but relents. “His butt is great.”

“Yay! When are you asking him out,” Annie prods. 

“Soon,” Maggie shrugs. “Maybe after Dad’s visit so the Sentinel of Liberty doesn’t scare the crap out of him.” 

Annie giggles a little. “How’s the job?” 

“The job is actually great,” Maggie says, perking up a little. “I’m being taken seriously, I’m writing, I’m getting called on to ask questions in the press pool. People seem to really like me here.” 

“Of course they like you, what’s not to like?” Annie says. “You’re funny, friendly, smart and the daughter of the aforementioned Sentinel of Liberty.” 

“I also take things seriously and I’m there to do my job,” Maggie snips a little. “When are you coming to visit?” 

“When DC gets better weather,” Annie jokes. “I’ll see you in the summer. I’m sure there will be a big Stark event at some point or another and I’ll have to make an appearance.” 

“Oh, jeez,” Maggie groans, sitting back. “Fancy party season will be here before I know it, won’t it?” 

“Heck yeah,” Annie giggles. “You’re in the land of fancy parties. You work in politics now.” 

“Lucky me,” Maggie grumbles, and then perks up. “Hey, I bet there’s some pretty good late night sweets around here.” 

“Ew,” Annie complains. “What is it with you and sugar?” 

“What is it with you and not sugar?” Maggie asks, teasing her friend. “My toes are dry. I’m gonna go scope out some late night sweets.” 

“Have fun, Babe,” Annie grins. “Talk later.” 

***** 

Jason convinces Alfred to go back to bed, and then quietly pulls on a pair of faded jeans, a t-shirt and hoodie, before slipping out the front door and wandering down the street. 

It’s rounding midnight, and Jason still isn’t used to normal human hours. In Gotham, he’d be just getting ready to go out; either with the Outlaws or on patrol with Bruce. 

He can’t deny that he’s restless, and if he hadn’t already promised both Bruce and Leo that he wouldn’t prowl around as the Red Hood, he’d be hopping rooftops right now. 

Hell, he might just screw the gear and do it anyways.

Jason shakes himself a little and rubs his hair, knowing that isn’t a smart idea. Instead, he wanders down the road, around the actual circle that comprises Dupont Circle, and into Kramer Books: a combination bookstore and cafe open late.

He shops first, pulling classics and new fair alike from the overstuffed shelves of the shop, paying for them quickly, before grabbing the stack and heading into the cafe.

He’s about to dive into a seat and order some pie when he sees a blonde in the back corner, reading on her phone and eating her own slice of pie.

Jason smiles and nods to her. “Hey.” 

Maggie Rogers looks up and grins back, surprised. “Hi. Fancy meeting you here.” 

“First the same lunch order, now a late night pie stop at the same place,” Jason comments. “We seem to have the same food cravings.” 

“We do at that,” Maggie says. 

“What kinda pie is that?” Jason asks, nodding to her half-eaten plate. 

She smiles wider. “Goober pie.” 

“Okay, what the hell is a goober pie?” 

“Peanut butter, chocolate, graham cracker crust,” Maggie tells him. “AKA: a literal slice of gooey, sticky heaven.” 

Jason smirks as the waitress approaches him. “Hi. I’ll have what she’s having. And a cup of coffee. Thanks.”

The last of the other diners leave shortly after, and Jason settles back in chair, cracking open one of his new books, as Maggie sits back in her corner, going back to her phone. They read in comfortable silence, and eat pie 

When the waitress eventually brings their checks, Jason snatches both. “I got it.” 

“Hey,” Maggie laughs. 

“Nope,” Jason tells her as he pulls out some cash. “I got this one.” 

After settling up, they both stand, Jason gathering up his books and Maggie closing out whatever she was reading on her phone.

“Thank you,” she says as the head for the exit. 

“No problem,” Jason grins at her. “Maybe we could do something like this again. Except we...y’know. Sit next to each other. Make more eye contact. Have a real conversation again?” 

“It’s a distinct possibility,” Maggie tells him. “Give me your number, and I’ll let you know.” 

Jason nods, and recites the number to her, watching her pop it into his phone. “See you at work?” 

Maggie nods as she heads in the opposite direction from his place. “See you at work.” 

He watches her go, and then wanders back toward P Street, whistling softly.


	12. Chapter 12

Delorise Landingham smiles widely as the door opens and a tall, handsome man steps in. He’s wearing a very dated military uniform, hat under his arm.

She gets to her feet to greet him, stepping out from behind the desk. “Captain Rogers.”

“Hi, Mrs. Landingham,” he says, clasping her hands gently. “It’s nice to see you again.” 

“You too,” she says. “President Bartlet will be right with you. He’s finishing up a meeting with senior staff. Would you like a cookie?” 

“I’m fine, thank you,” Steve Rogers says, as he takes a seat and looks around, just as Charlie Young steps in. 

“Mrs. Landingham, have you seen-” 

He stops when he spots Steve sitting in a chair. 

“Oh my god.” 

Steve nods, and gets to his feet, holding a hand out. “Steve Rogers.” 

“Oh my god,” Charlie repeats. 

“No, no, Steve Rogers,” Steve says again. “Not god.” 

“You’re Captain America.” 

“Sometimes,” Steve says, grinning fondly. “But mostly Steve Rogers.” 

Charlie eventually shakes his hand, slowly, still staring up at him. 

“It’s an honor, sir.” 

Steve’s grin widens. “Do you believe this guy, Mrs. Landingham, calling me sir?” 

“Tony Stark has called you much worse, Captain,” Mrs. Landingham comments as she sits back down. “Charlie, Captain Rogers is here to have lunch with the president.” 

“No. Yes. Right.” Charlie shakes himself. “That was on the schedule, and I’m being incredibly unprofessional. I apologize, Captain.” 

“Don’t worry about it, seriously,” Steve tells him. “But I didn’t catch your name, Son.” 

“Young!” Charlie blurts out. “Charlie Young. I’m the president’s aide.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, Charlie Young,” Steve says, patting his shoulder. 

Just then the doors to the Oval Office open, and the senior staff spill out, all muttering to each other, until they see Steve. 

“Hey!” Josh cries. “Captain.” 

Steve nods. “Josh. Sam. Toby. CJ.” 

CJ smiles and shakes his hand. “Hi, Steve.” 

“How come you get to call him Steve?” Sam asks, looking slightly put out. 

“Because he hid in my office from a bunch of press monsters last year,” CJ explains. “So I get to call him Steve.” 

“It’s nice to see all of you,” Steve tells them. “CJ, how’s my kid doin’ in the press pool?” 

“Very well,” CJ tells him. “She fits right in, and she can take it just as well as she can dish it out.” 

“Good to hear,” Steve nods. “You think I can go in?” 

“I’ll go make sure the President is ready for you,” Charlie says, hopping into the Oval Office quickly.

“Charlie was a little starstruck,” Mrs. Landingham tells the group. “I thought his entire jaw was going to drop and crack the wooden floor.” 

“That’d be a shame, these floors are mahogany,” Toby says, before turning to Sam and Josh. “Jason Todd’s first solo meeting with the DoD committee is today. Who wants to bring the popcorn?” 

“I heard about that,” Steve chimes in. “Something tells me Jason’s not quite as affable as Harry.” 

“That might be a tad generous,” Sam tells him. 

“I’ll bring the popcorn if you bring the beer,” Josh says. 

“You boys are terrible,” Mrs. Landingham snaps. “You’re not even willing to give him a chance to do well.” 

“He’s gonna do fine,” Sam tells her. “And we know he is. The question is how fine, and what the damage will be.” 

“Right,” Toby nods. “Is he gonna just tell them no, or is he gonna rip their pants off, light them on fire, and hand them back.” 

“Go away, all of you,” Mrs. Landingham orders.

Josh opens his mouth, but doesn’t get the words out.

“No, you don’t get a cookie.” 

Steve watches CJ and the three men leave, and then turns back to the office doors as they open again and Charlie steps out.

“He’s ready for you.” 

Steve nods and steps in finding Jed Bartlet and Leo McGarry at the desk. 

President Bartlet grins at him as he gets to his feet. “Steve.” 

“Mr. President,” Steve nods, shaking his hands. “Good to see you again, Sir.” 

“And you as well, Captain.” 

“Steve.” 

“Hey, Leo,” Steve grins, shaking his hand next. “So? The place is still standing.” 

“Remarkable how that works,” the President quips back. “How was the drive in?” 

“Good,” Steve nods. “Bike’s holding up well.” 

“You took your motorcycle, in your dress uniform?” Leo asks, obviously amused. 

“No way, I changed in the bathroom in the lobby,” Steve tells them. 

Bartlet shakes his head. “You’re an old kook, you know that, Steve?” 

“I’m pretty sure Bucky’s been pointing that out since we were ten years old,” Steve grins.

“And how is Sergeant Barnes?” Bartlet asks. “How is everyone? How are Zondra and the kids, and how are your fellow Avengers?” 

Steve nods as they all take a seat on the couches, settling his hat down next to him. “Everyone is alright. Zondra refuses to sit still, but that’s not really a shock, I knew she never would when I married her. Bucky’s mostly still in Wakanda these days, but he’s well. I get a lot of really embarrassing pictures of him from Princess Shuri.” 

“Of course,” Bartlet grins.

“The kids are alright,” Steve nods. “Joey’s gonna be starting high school next year, which is terrifying, and Hannah is still only in grade school which is less terrifying.” 

Leo makes a horrified face. “Oh, god, if Joey is going into high school, that means so is Maria Stark.” 

“Yep!” Steve nods. “Joey, Maria, Bartowski’s oldest, Sam’s daughter Stella. And Prince T’Chaka.” 

“Yeah, but he’s gettin’ homeschooled, right?” Leo asks. 

“Oh, god, yeah,” Steve nods. “Tony floated the idea of T’Chaka studying here in the states, and T’Challa laughed in his face. Hearing the sovereign ruler of Wakanda call American education ‘a dumpster fire’ was an experience.” 

Bartlet nods, looking grim. “Education is a complicated one.” 

Steve lifts an eyebrow. “Is it, Sir?” 

"It's something we continue to fight for, but it's an uphill battle at the best of times," Bartlet sits back, crossing his arms. “You sending Joey to public school?” 

“I originally wanted to, since he’s spent from k to eight there,” Steve admits. “It’s important to support public education. But it’s a mess, to say nothing of the fact that Joe’s disabled. No matter how state-of-the-art his leg is, he’s still only got one real one, and he’s more likely to get specialized attention for that at a private school.” 

“What about the rest of the Avengers?” Leo asks. “I’m assuming Maria’s headed for private school.” 

“Yeah,” Steve nods. “And Willow Bartowski. Chuck’s worried she’s too smart for public school programs at this point. Stella and Joey wanna stick together, so Sam, Sharon, Zondra and I are looking at schools with Tony and Pepper and Chuck and Sarah.” 

“You realize that wherever they go, they’ll burn the whole place down,” Bartlet jokes lightly. 

“Don’t remind me,” Steve groans. “Maggie and Annie were little angels compared to this bunch.” 

“And we can’t convince you at all to keep the kids in public school,” Leo says. “There’s nothing we could say or do to make that happen.” 

“I appreciate that the press of the Avengers’ children being in the public system is good,” Steve says evenly. “But we can afford to send Joey to a nicer school. There’s no reason his education should have to suffer like that.” 

“You’re throwin’ around a lot of harsh words, Cap,” Leo comments. 

“Peter Parker went through the public high school system,” Steve reminds them. “Do you know how much class that kid skipped without anybody noticing to go off and cowboy around with us? Do you know that he learned way more on his own? He was going to a magnet school. I mean, granted it was Queens, but still. We should be doing better for these kids, and the fact that we’re still not, and Pete’s been outta school how long?” 

“Not all private schools are great, you know,” Leo points out. 

Steve snorts. “Leo, it’s not like we’re talking about sending the kids to Gotham Academy, or the Xavier school.” 

Bartlet groans. “Oh, god. Do not get me started on the Xavier school. Ever since Kitty Pryde left, and Scott Summers took the reins, the New York City Fire department has been losing their minds. I’m pretty sure the commissioner of the FDNY has turned into an alcoholic.” 

“And you can’t shut the place down, because that’ll be seen as racially charged,” Steve nods. “The Xavier school has existed in some form or another for decades, and shutting it down makes you anti-mutant.” 

“Which I’m not, by the way,” Bartlet snaps. “I just wish the morons would stop dressing up in neon costumes and trying to kill each other.” He stops and glances at Steve. “No offense.” 

“Nobody on my team has ever worn neon, Sir,” Steve smirks. “Tony is the closest we ever got to that, and he looks more like a car than somebody’s 80’s nightmare.” 

“It could be worse,” Bartlet comments. “Wolverine could still be in charge.” He leans forward. “Right now, there’s only one member on staff with any right to be teaching, and that’s Bobby Drake, and they’ve got him relegated to teaching the math courses. Kitty had a couple of degrees under her belt, went to college. Just about everybody else knows nothing but the life of an X-Man. They’re not preparing those kids for anything but combat, and with Summers’ record for going off the rails, that’s scary.” 

“We’ve been talking about putting together an investigative committee,” Leo says. “The secretary of Education...a couple of democratic senators who are pro mutants rights. We also wanted to explore putting an Avenger on that committee. Maybe Wanda.” 

“Let me do it,” Steve says.

Bartlet’s eyes raise. “You? You’d do that?” 

“Scott doesn’t like me, but he respects me, and if Logan’s there, I can at least get through to somebody,” Steve points out. “They’ll ignore Wanda, however dangerous a move that is.”

“Just as long we as we don’t send Tony, I think we’ll be fine,” Leo quips. 

Steve snorts. “You want the Fire Department to get called, you send in Tony.” 

Bartlet gives a short laugh and shakes his head. “All this talk about education is making me hungry. I’m starving. Let’s get lunch, and we’ll keep hammering all this out.”


	13. Chapter 13

Josh stops short when he sees Sam. “Where’s my popcorn?” 

Sam blinks. “Where’s my beer?” 

“Sit down, and stop being irritating,” Toby tells them quietly as the conference room fills up.

“Why are they having this here, and not on the Hill?” Josh asks as he takes the seat next to Toby. 

“Neutral ground,” Toby says. “The White House is our house. They talk about this here, it’s not anybody’s home turf.” 

Sam nods as he watches the DoD committee walk in, followed by Jason Todd, dressed in a suit, his hair as neat as it’s ever been. He’s holding a notebook under his arm, and two doughnut boxes in both hands. There’s a pen settled behind his ear. 

The committee chair nods as they all take a seat at the table. “Mr. Todd.” 

Jason nods back. “Sir.” 

“You ever hear him call anybody but the president sir?” Josh asks softly. 

“Nope,” Sam says. “No.” 

Toby blows out a breath. “We’re three seconds in. Can we not have a running commentary the whole time?” 

“You came here with the wrong dates, Toby,” Josh tells him. “We’re gonna commentate the crap out of this whole meeting.” 

*****   
An hour in, and things are still going smoothly. 

Sam leans forward, watching the proceedings quietly, as he and Josh have given up on commentary for the time being. 

“Now, Mr. Todd, we come to the subject of fire power,” the DoD chair says. “Your predecessor was very adamant that Wayne Tech would not be providing weapons for our troops. I was hoping that we might open this discussion with you.” 

“Well, don’t get me wrong,” Jason grins a little. “I like guns. I’m good with guns.” 

The assembled group grins; mostly tenuously. 

“But the answer is gonna be no.” 

The chair leans forward, narrowing his eyes. “And do you feel as your father does about guns?” 

“Well...kinda,” Jason admits. “Look, even if I did disagree with Bruce, it’s still not my call.” 

“But as his son, you could persuade him.” 

“Let’s say I do,” Jason says, sitting back in his chair. “Let’s say I go back to Bruce Wayne, and we go ten rounds about making weapons, and after at least five hours, because let’s be real, that’s how long it’s gonna take, I convince him, somehow, that making state-of-the-art weaponry for the US military is not just profitable, but what this country needs right now to keep freedom and liberty and blah blah blah safe from the whatever-the-fuck’s-” 

“Jason,” Josh snaps. 

“Scuse me,” Jason waves him off. “But let’s say I do this. Okay. I sit down with Timmy and Lucius and Luke and Duke over in R&D and manufacturing and we make a gun. My kid brothers, y’know, Tim and Duke, they’re not short on imagination. You add Lucius and Luke Fox to that equation, and you’ve got something that’s not only lightweight and beautiful, but you walk away with something that can more than likely level a city block, because while Luke and Duke are gonna focus on style and functionality, Timmy’s our big-picture nerd. He’s gonna make something that can do some damage.” 

“It sounds great.” 

“It does, doesn’t it?” Jason grins tightly. “So yeah. The boys at Waynetech work their magic, and we have something beautiful. We manufacture it, we get a big fat paycheck from the US government, who then receives the weapons.” 

“End of story.” 

“Not even close.” 

“Jason-” 

“So the military gets them, and three things happen,” Jason goes on. “The first being that the rest of the world stands up and takes notice and starts trying to copy this thing. Poorly. Which is what we saw happen with Tony Stark’s Iron Man tech.” 

“That’s different.” 

“I promise it’s not,” Jason says. “The second thing that happens is that somebody, either in Wayne Tech or in the military or in the DoD, gets greedy, and sells a handful to a terrorist cell. Which, again, is what happened to Stark’s weapons. So one terrorist cell gets a few, and they figure out how it works and start making their own and start arming other terrorist cells, and they start blowing up their own people, and us, with our own weapons. Hilarious, right?” 

“What’s the third thing?” Toby asks. 

“The third thing,” Jason responds slowly. “Is that American police forces, more and more, are being granted the use of military equipment. Meaning that eventually, one way or another, these things wind up on American streets. It only takes one dirty cop, one bad guy, to put that gun in the hands of somebody who really, really shouldn’t have it. I’m from Gotham. We know a thing or two about our dirty cops and bad guys. We’ve got murder clowns and murder penguins and murder freezer pops and we even had a murderous ketchup dispenser once. Hell, we had a murder kite!” 

“Oh god,” Sam mumbles, looking horrified. 

“Let’s take this a step further, and stop me if you’ve heard this one." Jason crosses his arms. “You’re eight, and you’re leaving the movie theater with your parents after a great night. Popcorn. Red Vines. Cool action heroes. You know. You’re headed home, down the street, and your dad says ‘let’s take a shortcut’ and you wander down an alley.” 

“Oh, god,” Josh repeats, equally horrified. 

“Surprise! A mugger appears, and demands all your valuables, or else he’s going to blow you away. With what?” Jason grins viciously. “His Wayne Tech military-issue firearm. The mugging goes south, he shoots all three of you dead. But instead of there just being three victims, this thing is so powerful that it takes out the whole block. Loss of life is astronomical, there’s a full-scale investigation into the militarized police department because nobody else is supposed to have one of these things, and it spreads across the country, because if one city has a dirty cop willing to sell high-tech, stupid dangerous weapons to criminals, there’s no telling how many other places are in store for the same effects. The entire situation spirals out of control, The federal Government and Wayne Tech get into a finger-pointing competition, and everybody suffers”

The room goes silent, and Jason sits forward again, grabbing a doughnut from the center of the table. 

“Nobody wins,” Jason tells them all. “Nobody. There are only monsters and victims, and nobody wins.” 

“Mister Todd-” one of the senators starts, clearing his throat. 

“You can ask me for just about anything,” Jason cuts him off. “GPS tracking, armor, vehicles, water bottles, anything that’s going to improve the quality of life for our armed forces. You want Wayne Enterprises to get involved with veterans to help keep them on their feet? Let’s do it. You want advancement in medical care for our troops who have lost limbs and eyes and appendages, I will get Bruce on the phone right now, and I can pretty much guarantee he’d say ‘yes, how do we do that, how can we help?’” He looks at all of them. “You want guns? You want new ways to kill people? You’re gonna have to ask somebody else.” 

The room goes dead quiet, as the committee avoids eye contact with the rest of the room. 

“You’re not gonna ask me ever again,” Jason tells them. “Or I’m gonna give you this speech, all over again, from the top, and next time, I will bring a Powerpoint presentation and no donuts.”

He smiles at them; it’s a charming smile. “What do you wanna talk about next?” 

***** 

“Wow, you look excited.” 

Josh smirks at Donna as he walks swiftly back to his office and she falls in step with him. “I just watched Jason Todd hand the DoD committee their own asses on a platter.” 

“Wow, really?” 

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a takedown like that, particularly on somebody’s first day,” Josh tells her. He rushes into his office and grabs his desk chair, sitting down. “Do me a favor though. Get the Wayne Foundation on the horn. I wanna see what they’d be open to in terms of working with Veteran affairs.” 

“You got it, boss,” Donna nods. She stops before she leaves. “He really handed them their asses?”

“With gravy.”


	14. Chapter 14

“How was lunch?” 

Steve grins as he and Maggie step out of the White House. He’s back in his civilian clothes, a duffel bag over his shoulder. “Ah, you know. The president and I debated education and policy...mutants. Baseball. How was work?” 

“It was fine,” Maggie nods. “A less-than thrilling date today.” They step up to Steve’s bike and he hands her the duffel bag while he secures his helmet. “You know, I remember when you didn’t wear a helmet on your bike.” 

“I’m gettin’ old, Magpie,” Steve tells her as he takes the bag back and slings it over his shoulder. “My head’s not as solid as it used to be.” 

Maggie laughs. “See you at my place?” 

“You got it.” 

***** 

“Ah, Master Jason,” Alfred beams as the younger man steps in the door. “I’m very glad you’re home. We have guests.” 

“We do?” Jason asks. “Cause I’m still in my work clothes and I feel weird.” 

“Don’t feel weird,” Bruce says as he steps out into the front hall. “You look good.” 

“I look like a stooge, but I’ll take it,” Jason smirks, before walking up and hugging the older man. “You here for the party tomorrow night?” 

“I am,” Bruce nods, patting Jason’s back. “Selina is upstairs, freshening up. I thought maybe we could go to dinner.”

“Like...fancy dinner?” Jason asks, lifting his eyebrows. “Cuz I was hoping to wear not-this for the rest of the night.” 

“I’ve heard Firefly is good,” Selina says as she descends the stairs. “And not too fancy. Hi, Jay.” 

Jason smirks. “Hey, Mom.” 

She rolls her eyes playfully, not taking the bait as she pecks his cheek. “How was work?” 

“Fine.” 

“That’s all we get?” Bruce asks, lifting an eyebrow. “Fine?” 

“We’ll talk more over dinner,” Jason tells them. “In the meantime, I’m gonna get changed. I hate ties.” 

Bruce watches him go and then turns to Alfred. “He looks well, at least. Better than when he left Gotham.” 

“Jason is making progress,” Alfred confirms. “It’s slow, but it is there, sir. I believe you and Jason made the right choice. You in offering him this opportunity, and him in taking it.” 

“I really hope you’re right,” Bruce says quietly. “Has he had any slip-ups?” 

“Not to my knowledge,” Alfred says as he pulls coats out. “Do try not to interrogate him too much tonight, sir. However much progress he’s making, he’s still having nightmares, and I’d hate to see him backslide.” 

“We’re not here for that,” Selina reassures him. “We’re here to make sure he’s doing alright, and to make sure he hasn’t burned down the White House. Isn’t that right, Bat?” 

Bruce sighs quietly. “Yes, Cat. Yes it is.” 

Jason hops down the stairs a moment later, wearing nice jeans and a black long-sleeved Henley. “Who’s ready for chow?” 

***** 

“God that smells good,” Steve takes a deep breath, inhaling the aroma as he watches Maggie pull the meatloaf from the oven. “Who taught you to cook like that? Oh wait. It was me.” 

Maggie laughs and shakes her head. “And Mom.” 

“Right,” Steve nods. “But she taught you all the Italian stuff. Pasta...sauces...cannoli...I taught you meatloaf.” 

“Do not make me start singing,” Maggie threatens with a grin. “I know all the words to Paradise by the Dashboard light, and I have a terrible singing voice.” 

“I’ll never forgive your Uncle Clint for teaching you that song,” Steve grouses, wandering over to the cabinets in the open kitchen to grab plates and cutlery. 

Maggie laughs a little. “It was your idea to leave us on the farm for that one summer.” 

Steve hangs his head. “Your brother learned how to make a fire, and you learned about baseball metaphors for sex. So proud.” 

“In my defense, I already knew how to make a fire,” Maggie says. “And Uncle Thor learned right along with me.” 

He laughs as he sets the plates down on the table and then looks over at her, taking her in. “God, you’re such an adult now. Look at you. Grown up job, your own place, with real dishes and actual furniture.” 

Maggie turns to him and grins. “Why thank you. I’m very proud of myself.” 

“You should be,” Steve beams. “I know I am. And I wanna hear all about work. How is it going? How’s this neighborhood? Are you makin’ any friends?” 

“Work is going really well,” Maggie nods as she starts serving their dinner. “The press pool at the White House are mostly really nice, and CJ Cregg is great. And...I’m even making friends outside of work.” 

“Yeah?” Steve asks, sitting down and pulling a napkin into his lap. 

“Yeah...there’s this guy who just started, like me. He works on the Hill.” Maggie says. “And...he’s...kinda cute. And smart. And funny.” 

“Oh,” Steve says. “That kinda friend.” 

Maggie laughs a little. “Yeah, Dad. That kind of friend.” 

Steve grins sheepishly as she sits down. “Okay, so? What’s his name?” 

“Jason Todd.” 

Steve freezes as he grips his fork. “Oh.” 

Maggie looks at him, tilting her head. “What?” 

“One of Bruce Wayne’s kids,” Steve says slowly. “The crazy one of Bruce Wayne’s kids.” 

“What? Dad, that’s not fair.” 

“Magpie-” 

“You don’t know him.” 

“I know his story,” Steve tells her gently. “The guy’s been through hell, and he came out the other side wrong.” 

Maggie sits back, letting her father talk. 

“To say nothing of the fact that his father is a nutjob who goes around in a batsuit punching poor and mentally ill people in their faces, because that’ll ever make things better.” 

“What are you even talking about?” Maggie asks, shaking her head, bewildered. 

Steve takes a breath. “You’re not a little kid anymore. I can’t tell you what to do, or who to talk to. But be careful with Jason Todd.” 

Maggie picks up her glass of wine and takes a long sip, before putting it down. “What do you know?” 

“Everything,” Steve says.

“So tell me everything.” 

“After dinner,” Steve insists. “C’mon, I wanna hear more about work and life. I wanna know you’re okay.” 

Maggie rolls her eyes playfully and laughs a little. “I’m fine. Although the food here is awful.” 

“Ah, it can’t be that bad,” Steve grins as he munches on a forkful of meatloaf. 

“The place on the hill served me a closed tuna melt.” 

Steve wrinkles his nose, looking offended. “That’s not a tuna melt.” 

“That’s what I said!” 

***** 

“Yes, I’ll have the mushroom bolognese, please.” 

“So?” Bruce asks as the waiter finishes taking Selina’s order. “Tell me about your first week.” 

Jason nods and sips his water. “Well. So. Apparently Leo and the president told his senior staff about me. Like...everything. All of it.” 

Bruce freezes in place, a frown settling on his face. 

“I mean, I think they’re okay with it, but it was…” Jason shrugs. “It’s fine. I don’t care.” 

“I care,” Bruce says. “I may have a word with President Bartlet about that. It wasn’t his place.” 

“Whatever, B,” Jason says quickly. 

“Not whatever,” Bruce responds firmly. 

Selina rests a hand on Bruce’s arm. “How was your first solo day, Jason?” 

Jason sits back. “Well. the DoD committee asked me for guns. And I handed them their asses. Verbally, I mean. I didn’t punch anybody. I ate a lot of donuts, though.” he pats his own belly. “There are a lot of donuts in these places.” 

Bruce chuckles a little. “You’ll have to train harder to make sure you stay in shape.” 

“Yeah?” Jason asks, looking at him. “How are things back home?” 

“Fine for now,” Bruce tells him. “But you never know when things may go south.” 

“Well, you’ve got all my gear, so lemme know if you need me.” 

“I’m going to do my best to keep you out of it,” Bruce says. 

Jason shakes his head. “I’m good, Bruce. If you need me-” 

“Jason,” Bruce interrupts him quietly. “You’re here because you were at a breaking point. You knew it, I knew it, your brothers knew it. Artemis and Roy both came to me with their concerns for you. I gave you this job not only because I think you’re suited for it, but because it would give you a real chance to heal. Why would I drag you back into a life that was destroying you?” 

Jason stares at him in silence as their appetizer and wine are settled on their table.

Bruce looks down at his plate. “You’d already been through so much when we met. I’ve said this before, but it was irresponsible of me to take you on as my partner. You needed real help, and I ignored that, thinking that my giving you a purpose would fix you.” 

“I don’t need to be fixed,” Jason snaps quietly. 

“Bruce didn’t mean it that way,” Selina says gently. “We know you don’t need to be fixed. But you do need to get better.” 

“When you come back to Gotham,” Bruce goes on. “I don’t want it to be for an emergency. I don’t want it to be because you have to. I want it to be because you’re coming back for Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Or someone’s birthday.”

“So what you’re saying is, you want me to be normal,” Jason says. 

“Oh, no, we know there’s no hope there,” Selina jokes, sipping her wine. “None of you kids will ever be normal.” 

“And we all know who’s fault that is,” Jason smirks. “But at least I get some good food out of it.” 

Bruce just chuckles a little, and digs into their appetizer. 

***** 

“So?” Maggie asks as they pass a carton of ice cream back and forth in front of the television as a football game airs. “You gonna tell me what you know about Jason Todd?” 

Steve sighs. “I…” he rubs at his hair. “Y’know, maybe I jumped the gun. We don’t have to talk about it. And maybe it’s better that you don’t know.” 

“Dad. Seriously.”

He blows out a breath. “It’s not my story to tell. As much as I dislike the things Wayne does with his spare time, and as wary as I am of his kids...if you like Jason, even just as a friend, you should hear this stuff from him.” 

Maggie watches him for a moment, and nods slowly. “Yeah. Okay.” 

“That don’t mean you can’t go lookin’ on your own.” 

She laughs a little. “Dad, I think you’re tired. Your accent is coming out.” 

“Ah, well those elocution lessons only do so much,” Steve grins. “And I got ‘em a long time ago.” 

Maggie grins at him fondly. “Dad, is Jason Todd really that dangerous?” 

Steve sighs and leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “I guess I don’t really know him. I only really know the stories about him. It’s enough to worry me. He uh...He’s had a rough life.” 

“Like you?” 

“No,” Steve says quickly. “No, not like me. I mean, yeah, before he met Bruce Wayne, he was poor, too. But I always had a roof over my head. My mother didn’t pass til I was mostly grown up.” 

“Bruce Wayne taking in a homeless kid woulda been big news at the time,” Maggie comments, leaning back and tapping her spoon against her nose. “Gotham Gazette probably did a ton of coverage. Or as much coverage as their city’s favorite son would allow.” 

“Do me a favor,” Steve says. “Don’t let this gobble up your life. You got a good thing with this job, and I don’t wanna see you blow it cause you’re spendin’ all your time on a guy.” 

Maggie snorts. 

“I mean it,” Steve encourages her. “Go out! Make more friends, get involved in your community. Don’t get sucked in by a Wayne kid.” 

“Okay, Dad,” Maggie nods. “I promise. More corrousing. Less detective work.” 

“Good. Thank you.” 

“Speaking of, we can hit the farmer’s market tomorrow,” Maggie grins. “Get some good stuff.” 

“Sounds good.” 

“Can I ask you a question?” Maggie asks. 

“Mhm.” 

“What did you and the president talk about?” 

Steve blows out a breath. “The Xavier school.” 

“Oh, boy,” Maggie snickers. 

“Yeah, you said it,” Steve shakes his head. “That place is still a mess, and they’re putting together a committee to do an inquiry.” 

“That’s gonna go really poorly.” 

“I volunteered to be apart of it.” 

Maggie gives a short laugh. “Now that’s news. Can I tag along and write the exposee?” 

“No, now gimme back that ice cream.” 

*****   
“So?” Jason asks as they walk back to the house. “Is it just you two? Or should we expect more family to show up for Harry’s retirement party?” 

“Dick is coming down,” Bruce tells him. “With Barbara, and supposedly Damian.” 

“No Timmy?” Jason asks. 

“He’s very busy with school,” Bruce says. “And he, Duke, Luke, Stephanie and Cassandra will be taking care of the city while we’re here….though Damian is adamant that they won’t be nearly enough to make up for our absence.” 

“Of course he is,” Jason smirks.

Bruce chuckles softly as he wraps his arm around Selina. 

“What about you guys?” Jason asks. “You good?” 

“We’re good,” Selina nods. “Things are much quieter without you around.” 

Jason grins at them as they turn the corner onto their street. “Big Bird can handle keeping Timbers and Damian from killing each other, but you add me in that mix, and it all goes to hell.” 

“*Ttt,*” a derisive young voice complains from the front stoop of their house. “You give yourself too much credit, Todd.” 

Jason stops and shakes his head, gazing down at Damian, Dick and Barbara, all sitting on the steps. “That’s rich, comin’ from you, Babybat.” 

“I am not a baby,” Damian snaps. “I am nearly fourteen now. An adult.” 

“Oh brother, is that really what you think?” Dick laughs gently. “Dami, you got a long way to go, buddy.” 

“Do not call my ‘buddy,’” Damian snaps. “I am no one’s buddy.” 

“I think Jon Kent and Colin Wilkes would disagree,” Bruce teases. “Thank you all for coming down.” 

“For Harry?” Barbara asks, getting to her feet. “Of course.” She smiles widely at Jason, before hugging him tightly. “We also wanted to check up on this bum.” 

“‘Bum,’” she says,” Jason grumbles playfully, hugging her back tightly. “Who you callin’ a bum, you big friggin nerd?” 

“You, ya bum.” 

“Stop flirting,” Dick snaps as Barbara pulls away and he moves in for his own hug. “Hey, Little Wing.” 

“You were an ass on the phone a week ago, now you want hugs?” Jason asks, patting the older man’s shoulder. “You’re so bipolar.” 

“Hugs are the best, and you know it.” 

“God, you’re weird.” 

Damian hangs back, watching them as Dick pulls away. 

“I do not wish to hug you,” Damian tells him. “But it is good to see you, Todd.” 

Jason grins and nods. “You too, kid. You doing okay?” 

“I am well.” 

“Good to hear.” He looks at them all, and does a double-take, zeroing in on Dick and Barbara’s clasped hands. He narrows his eyes. “Barbie, why is your finger so sparkly?” 

“Well.” She takes a deep breath and pulls her hand from Dick’s, lifting it up to show him a diamond ring and a wedding band. “So...we kinda…” 

Dick lifts his own hand, showing off his own wedding band, looking ecstatic. “We eloped!” 

Bruce sighs heavily, and Jason looks back at him. 

“Aww, B’s disappointed,” Jason teases. “He wanted to give you away, Dickie.” 

“More like anxious that Richard managed to get married before he did,” Damian jokes. 

“Thin ice, Damian,” Selina warns. 

“It is not Richard nor Barbara’s fault that they were able to make things work faster than the two of you,” Damian points out. 

“Wow,” Jason laughs. “Someone’s salty about not getting an official new mom.” He turns to Barbara and hugs her. “Congratulations.” 

“Thanks,” Barbara smiles, hugging him back. “We’re going to have a big party next month, so you should come.” 

Jason nods. “I’ll see how work is going and try to make it.” 

“Ooh, yeah I can’t wait to hear about the new job! How’s it going?” 

“Oh, no,” Jason laughs. “No way, Big Bird. First you gotta break it to Alfred that you got married without telling him.” 

Barbara freezes and the newlyweds look at each other, wide-eyed. “Oh, crap.” 

Jason nudges them forward. “Go on. Let’s get that bandaid ripped off, you crazy love birds.” 

“I hate you, Jason,” Dick grumbles. 

“There’s that bipolar again,” Jason teases.

Bruce grins slightly. as they all head into the house, and takes a deep breath as he looks at Selina. “I don’t know where the time goes, Cat.” 

She grins, and kisses his cheek. “Come on, Bat.”


	15. Chapter 15

“Please let me send some press with you, sir.” 

“No,” Bartlet says quickly. “There will be a couple of press members at the party already, and I don’t want to be hounded.” 

CJ sighs heavily. “Sir-” 

“CJ.” 

“You rarely make appearances at these kinds of parties,” she points out. “And the First Lady is going with you. It’s a good look for the public to see the two of you supporting a company that supports gun control, and-” 

“This is not about Wayne Enterprises,” the President tells her. “This is about Harry’s retirement, and it’s about the fact that Bruce, Selina and a few of the kids are in town. And...possibly because of the Oceanaire Room’s Alaskan red king crab risotto. Now, will I see you there?” 

CJ sigh, but smiles ruefully. “Yes, Mister President, I’ll be there.” 

“Good. Anything else?” 

“No, Mister, President.” 

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow night.” 

***** 

Harry Feinstein beams at Bruce as they shake hands. 

“I appreciate everything you’ve done for us, Harry,” Bruce says. “If there’s anything I can do for you in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.” 

“Thank you, Bruce,” Harry says. “I think your father would be proud of everything you’ve built. But he’d especially be over the moon about the kids. If he was here today, his office would be stuffed full of photos of all of them.” 

Bruce smiles tightly, and nods. “Thank you. Speaking of, how is Jason holding up?”

“He’s doing great,” Harry reassures him. “He’s been getting along well with the President’s senior staff, and he’s mostly polite but firm with the DoD. I even hear he’s been making eyes with one of the reporters in the press pool.” 

“Just as long as it’s not a Fox News reporter,” Bruce jokes.

Harry laughs softly. “I think she’s from the Washington Post, so you’re safe.” 

“Thank god for small favors,” Bruce grins. 

“Excuse me, gentlemen.” 

Both men turn and straighten up immediately. 

“Oh, Mister President,” Harry says, obviously surprised. “I didn’t realize you were coming.” 

“Surprise, Harry,” Bartlet says, shaking his hand. “I wanted to stop by and wish you well. To say nothing of seeing Bruce and a few of the members of his own personal baseball team. Did I hear Dick and Barbara got married?” 

“They did,” Bruce sighs. “I begged them to plan a real wedding, but they couldn’t wait. Myself, Jim Gordon, Cassandra, Tim, Damian, and Barbara’s best friend Dinah all went to the courthouse a few days ago.” 

“That’s wonderful,” Harry says. 

“I wouldn’t say that around Alfred,” Bruce tells them. “He found out last night along with Jason, and he wasn’t terribly pleased. Dick has spent the last twenty-four hours attempting to apologize.” 

“Well, Alfred always has been a real mother hen,” the President chuckles. 

“I hope Jason hasn’t been giving you too many problems, Sir,” Bruce says. 

“Oh, none so far,” Bartlet says. “Although I heard he threatened to take away the doughnut privileges of the DoD committee if they ever asked him for guns again.” 

Harry laughs. “You know Bruce, I think your boy is getting the hang of this job in record time.” 

“If there’s one thing Jason is good at, it’s telling people no,” Bruce grins proudly. “I’m glad my instincts were correct.” He glances at the president and takes a breath, his grin dropping slightly. “Sir, I don’t suppose you have a moment for me?” 

“Of course, Bruce,” the President nods, and then smiles at Harry, shaking his hand. “Thank you for your time and hard work, Harry. As fun as Jason is to have around, you’ll be sorely missed around here.” 

Harry shakes his hand and nods. “Thank you, MIster President.” 

***** 

“Oh, Barbara!” Abbey cries. “You couldn’t wait to have a real wedding?” 

“Who needs it?” Barbara shrugs, grinning. 

Abbey laughs softly. “Was it at least a little romantic?” 

“We had chilli dogs after the courthouse,” Barbara tells her, making the older woman laugh. “Dick and I have been through a lot together. We just wanted this to be simple.”

“Well, Jed and I are thrilled for you two,” Abbey says. “We’ll be sure to make a donation to the Wayne Foundation as a wedding gift.”

“What, no punch bowl?” Dick jokes. 

“Speaking of the Wayne Foundation,” Josh says, as he steps over, waiting for the women’s laughter to die down. “Dick, I don’t suppose my assistant, Donna Moss, got in touch with you?” 

“She did,” Dick nods, snapping his fingers in recognition. “About the veteran program! I’d definitely be interested in taking something like a veteran assistance program wider, and Bruce has given me the green light to explore what’s possible.” 

“That’s great to hear,” Josh grins. “When your brother mentioned that you guys might be amenable to something like that, Toby Ziegler and I both agreed to jump on it.” 

“The Wayne Foundation runs a veteran housing assistance program in Gotham called Operation Torchlight,” Dick tells them. “We work with realtors, and social workers who can help them find jobs and mental health services, as well as reach out to families. It’s important work, and launching it on a federal level would be an undertaking, but doable. It might be worth it to reach out to Tim Drake, too. He launched the Neon Knights program, and that’s been incredibly popular in a ton of cities globally.” 

“Zoey volunteers with the Neon Knights,” Abbey grins. 

Dick beams. “Then I should send her a thank you pack. How are your girls, by the way?”

“Everyone is fine,” Abbey tells them. “Liz’s husband Doug is gearing up to run for office, so they’re in campaign prep mode, and Ellie’s still at med school. Zoey’s in her first year at Georgetown, so she’s close. I keep trying to get Ellie to come to visit. She and Jason were friends before- well...before.” 

“Before what?” Josh asks, looking confused. 

Barbara hesitates. 

“He knows, kids,” Abbey tells the couple. “Jed told the senior staff.” 

Dick’s eyes nearly fall out of his head. “What?!” 

“Oh,” Josh snaps. “That. Right. The…” He lifts his fingers to the side of his head like bat ears. 

Barbara bats at his hands. “Stop that! We’re in public.” 

“How has Bruce not thrown a fit yet?” Dick asks, bewildered. 

Josh shrugs. “Well, considering I just saw he and the President sneak into a private room, either they’re gonna go neck in the dark, or…” 

“Joshua.” 

“Yes, Mrs. Bartlet. Shutting up now.” 

***** 

“I think you know why I wanted to talk,” Bruce says as they step into one of the Oceanaire’s private dining rooms, closing the door. One secret service member remains in the room, while two stand outside the door. 

“I can guess,” Bartlet nods. 

“Jason says you gave your senior staff details about him.” 

“I did.” 

“That was wrong of you, Mister President.” 

“I told my staff because in the event of an emergency, that’s information they need to know about Jason.” 

“It was still wrong.” 

Jed shakes his head. “You took an abused homeless kid off the streets, put him in a pair of tights and gave him the tools to take out all of his anger at the world on other people. You wanna talk about wrong? Let’s start there. Or with Dick, for that matter. He watched his parents die in front of him, and you threw him into fighting criminals instead of processing his grief. Let’s start there, and then we can move on to Barbara, to Tim, to Cassandra and Stephanie and Damian. Duke, and Jean-Paul and Harper Row.” 

Bruce narrows his eyes at the older man. 

“Let’s talk about the revolving door that is Arkham Asylum. Let’s talk about the federal sentences many of its prisoners deserve. The Joker, for instance if we’re talking about Jason. Let’s talk about the fact that he killed your son. He assaulted and nearly killed Barbara. He kidnapped and drugged and tortured Tim. Buried Damian alive. And if you don’t want to talk about that, let’s talk about all of the times you turned your back on your children. Every time you lost your temper and attacked them while wearing that cowl. Every time you put them out on the streets and they got beaten or stabbed, or shot or pushed off of tall buildings. Let’s talk about that.”

SIlence falls over the room. 

“Leslie Thompkins used to call Abbey for advice on treating some of their wounds,” Bartlet explains slowly. “Middle of the night, the phone would ring, and it’d be Leslie, and she’d sound so damned tired, asking questions about how to stitch up the most horrific wounds. How to handle someone who was on their twelfth concussion...how to properly extract a knife out of someone’s knee...” 

Bruce looks away, crossing his arm. 

“Don’t you ever test me, Bruce,” Jed says, his voice low and serious. “Because with a few sentences, I can bring your whole world crashing down around you. And the only reason I don’t is because it would plunge Gotham into a nightmare I don’t know it could survive.” 

“I...I am trying to be better,” Bruce says quietly. “It’s true. I get wrapped up in my other life, and I...I see them more as soldiers in those moments than as my children. And that’s wrong. But you still shouldn’t have told your staff about Jason’s history. He can barely talk about it with us, let alone veritable strangers.” 

“Maybe,” Bartlet admits. “That might be true. But bats who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, Bruce. And I made a call, based on past experience with you and your family. You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to think it’s right. But that’s the way it is.” 

They fall into silence again, and Jed watches the younger man carefully. 

“What was the impetus?” he asks. “What made you offer this position to Jason? Was it the Joker again?” 

Bruce looks down. “It…” he sighs softly. “Penguin had this extortion game going. He was trying to scare the wealthy of Gotham into giving him vast amounts of protection money, and the tactics he used were...unsavory at best.” 

Jed nods, listening quietly. 

“He didn’t come after Batman or Nightwing or the Red Hood. Or any of us. He came after Bruce Wayne and his family. Because I refused to pay.” Bruce rubs his eyes, suddenly looking tired. “He dug up Jason’s stepmother’s corpse and left the remains on our doorstep, as a threat.” 

Bartlet takes a breath, looking horrified. “Good god.” 

“Jason snapped,” Bruce says. “He broke in a way I’ve never…”

“He got violent?” 

“No,” Bruce says quickly. “No. That would have been a normal reaction for him. He went catatonic. He spent two days completely checked out.” He shakes his head. “I’ve never seen him shut down that way before.” 

“What happened when he came too?” 

“Oh, he beat Penguin with a baseball bat,” Bruce says. “He broke every rib, plus his ankles and Penguin almost lost an eye, Artemis and Kory and Roy went after him and stopped him from going too far.” 

“You don’t think the broken ribs, the broken ankles and the nearly lost eye were going too far?” 

“Penguin survived. That’s good enough for me.” 

“The fact that that’s true scares the hell out of me,” Jed mutters. He wipes a hand over his face and takes a breath. “I’m gonna ask you for something that you’re not gonna like, Bruce.” 

Bruce glances at him, stone-faced. 

“But it’s just about the only way I’m gonna let you keep doing what you do,” the President tells him. “The next time you catch the Joker, you let us have him. We pull in the FBI, and he comes here for trial and sentencing.” 

“You want the Joker in DC,” Bruce blinks. 

“He’s a serial killer, Bruce. He’s an enemy of the entire country. He should be charged on a federal level.” 

“It’s a bad idea,” Bruce tells him. “With all due respect, Mister President, it’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard, and between Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, and Booster Gold, I have heard some truly terrible ideas in my life.” 

“Either you turn him over to federal custody, or I shut you down,” Jed says. “Take it or leave it.” 

***** 

“They been in there a while, huh?” Leo says, taking a seat next to Jason, who’s sitting back, tapping a butter knife on the table gently. “You try the risotto? It’s really good.” 

“I’m not really a risotto guy,” Jason tells him, grinning a little as he looks around. “Or a party guy, for that matter.” 

“What, no plants you wanna pee in this time around?” Leo jokes. 

“There’s nothin’ like peeing in a noble ficus,” Jason quips, smirking a little, looking back at the door guarded by the secret service men. “They’re talking about me.” 

“Maybe not.” 

“They’re probably talking about me,” Jason shrugs.

“*Ttt*,” Damian snorts as he takes one of the other seats at the table. “I’m sure the president and father have more pressing things to talk about than you, Todd.” 

“Hi, Damian,” Leo grins. 

“Mr. McGarry.”

“Leo’s fine.”

“Alright.” 

Leo shakes his head. “You Wayne kids.” 

“We’re like a sack of wet cats,” Jason smirks. 

Damian frowns. “Cats should never kept in a sack, nor should they be forced to be wet for prolonged periods of time.” 

“Damian Wayne, future animal rights lawyer,” Leo chuckles. 

The teen looks thoughtful about that. “Perhaps. That would not be a bad job. Though I’d rather run my father’s company.”

Jason shakes his head and grins. 

“You’re starting high school soon, right?” Leo asks. 

“The beginning of next year,” Damian confirms, but huffs softly. “Father is very adamant that I get out of Gotham. He wants me to go to a private school in Upstate New York.” The teen wrinkles his nose in distaste. “He thinks I need fresh air, and to make new friends.” 

“Or any friends,” Jason comments.

“I have friends, thank you,” Damian snaps. 

“The cow doesn't count.”

Leo frowns. “There's a cow?”

“Say one more word about Batcow, Todd, and I'll ram that butter knife right up your-”

“How are we doing?” Selina asks as she rests a hand on Damian's shoulder.

Leo shakes his head. “I'm suddenly very grateful that Mallory was an only child. And not a boy.”

Selina smiles and pats his shoulder.

*****

The ride back to the White House is quiet, and Abbey watches as Jed gazes out the window. 

“What did you and Bruce talk about?” she asks softly.

“Oh, lots of things,” he tells her, turning to look at her. “His children. His night job…” 

“Jed.” 

“We struck a deal tonight,” he says. “Bruce thought it was a bad idea, but I don’t know if that’s really what he thinks, or if he’s just unhappy that I’ll be taking one of his toys away.” 

“You know Bruce,” Abbey says. “You know that if he thinks something is a bad idea, it’s usually for good reasons. What was the deal?” 

Jed pauses for a moment before answering. “The next time he takes the Joker in, he’ll be handing him over to federal custody here in DC. In return, I’ll let him keep doing what he does.” 

Abbey narrows her eyes. “You want the Joker to face a grand jury.” 

“I do,” Jed nods. “I do. He’s killed more people in Gotham than old age in the last two decades. He keeps getting out of Arkham, he keeps causing more panic, more death. And every time he sets his sights on bigger targets, it’s been disastrous for our country.” 

“And he’s a child killer.” 

Jed stops. 

Abbey takes his hand and squeezes it. “You and I both know that’s really what this is about. It’s not that he’s killed so many people. It’s that he kills kids.” 

“Can you blame me?” Jed asks quietly. 

“No,” Abbey says. “But if Bruce pulls the Joker out of Gotham, and he escaped federal custody, what happens then?” 

Jed blows out a breath. “Then I guess we’ll have to call in the big guns.” 

***** 

They get home late and Jason sheds his jacket, rubbing at his hair a little awkwardly and heads into the kitchen, where Bruce is already making a pot of coffee. 

“That was alright,” Jason remarks as he takes a seat on a stool at the island. 

“I suppose it was,” Bruce nods. 

“I’m guessing you and the President talked about me.” 

“We talked about quite a few things,” Bruce tells him as he pulls down some mugs. “You...the Joker...Gotham…” 

Jason nods quietly. 

Bruce tries for a grin. “Harry told me something interesting, though.” 

The younger man looks up, frowning. “What?”

“That you’ve been making eyes with one of the White House reporters.” 

“Fucking Harry,” Jason grumbles.

“So it is true.” 

“She’s...I don’t know,” Jason shrugs. “I don’t know.” 

“Well, when you do, you can talk to me about it,” Bruce tells him. 

“Sure thing, ‘Dad.’” 

Bruce’s lip twitches upward, and he ruffles Jason’s hair. 

Jason jerks away. “Watch it, old man.” 

“Call me that again and you don’t get any coffee.”


	16. Chapter 16

Leo steps into his office on Sunday morning, ready to get some work done while the West Wing is quiet. 

It isn’t until he sits down, that he realizes he’s not alone. He jumps, yelping a little.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, how the hell did you get in here?!” 

Damian Wayne grins a little. “Good morning, Leo. You said I could call you Leo, yes?” 

“Yes,” Leo snaps. “But I might call the secret service. How’d you get in here?” 

Damian shrugs, sitting back on the couch. “I told the front desk that you and I had an appointment. They were very accommodating.” 

“I’m sure they were,” Leo says, rubbing his face. “Did you need something?” 

“I wanted to talk to you.” 

Leo shakes his head. “Clearly, or else you wouldn’t have lied your way into my office. What is it that you wanted to talk about, Damian?” 

Damian looks at the older man thoughtfully. “Did you know that a third of the children who go through the foster care system in the United States develop mental illness? Most commonly, PTSD.” 

Leo stares at him silently. “How old are you again?” 

“My age does not matter,” Damian says. “What matters is that our government seems to care very little for the children who are taken away from abusive and neglectful home lives only to be placed into inadequate group homes, or dangerous foster placements that often result in more neglect and abuse of varying forms.” 

“Damian-” 

“Did you know that eighty percent of minors who are sold for sex on the Dark Web have had some sort of previous contact with child protective services and the foster system?” 

Leo shuts his mouth. 

The teen narrows his eyes. “Leo, do you understand why my father does what he does with his time? Why night after night, he dons that costume and protects the innocent of Gotham City?” 

“Because your father suffered severe trauma as a child, and now has a compulsion to control the world around him in ways that are deeply unhealthy and disturbing,” Leo responds, looking the kid in the eyes.

Damian grins wryly. “Yes, in part. But also, because his parents’ killer was never caught. That man is still at large, and my father does what he does because the systems we have in place are ineffective, and dangerous across the board, and our legislators seem to care very little about that. If it had not been for the Wayne money, and Alfred, my father’s fate would have been much the same as some of these children who are funneled through these systems, and lost. I have a very good friend who dodged it because some kindly nuns decided that he could stay at their church. It’s my understanding that many nuns are not quite so charitable, as Catholic orphanages have been the cause of pain for many children in America over the last one hundred years. In other words, my father and my friend were both very lucky. Most are not.” 

He doesn’t wait for a response, as he gets to his feet and slips his coat on again. “Just a little something to ponder, Leo McGarry, as you go about your days wielding so much power. There are many powerless people under your purview. And they suffer, and you do nothing.” 

He steps to the door, but stops, glancing back. “Think about that the next time you call Bruce Wayne a disturbed, traumatized, compulsive control freak.” 

Leo sits back, regarding the teen for a moment before speaking. “Kid, when you grow up, you’re gonna make one hell of a lawyer.” 

“I already told you-” 

“Oh, I know,” Leo nods, grinning. “You wanna run Wayne Enterprises. But you’ve got way more fire in your guts than that. You ever want an internship around here, just tell the front desk we have a standing appointment.” 

Damian gives a small grin, and steps out, as Leo blows out a breath and pulls out a legal pad, making a note to ask Margaret to pull all the information they have on the foster care system and any links with the Dark Web, before getting back to work.

***** 

Jason is waiting for Damian in the lobby, pacing back and forth. When his younger brother steps through, he looks up.

“Say what you needed to say?” 

“I did,” Damian nods. “He...offered me an internship.” 

Jason grins and ruffles his hair, getting the reaction he expects as Damian jerks away. 

“That means he knows you’re right,” Jason tells him. “C’mon. Your last day in town, I’ll take you for a hot dog and some pie.” 

“I do not eat meat, Todd,” Damian snaps. 

“Ben’s has some bad-ass vegetarian chili, you’ll love it.” 

“And then pie?” 

“And then pie.” 

***** 

Maggie looks up from the stack of books she’s amassed, taking up a small corner of Kramer Books, as the door opens and Jason Todd walks in with a younger teen trailing behind him. 

Jason spots her immediately and leans in to say something to the teen, who rolls his eyes and storms off to the cafe. 

Maggie grins as Jason wanders over. “Well, well, well. Fancy meeting you here again.” 

“Fancy that,” Jason agrees, looking down at her stock of books. “Anything good?” 

“I think so,” she says. “You just here for the pie?” 

“Never,” he tells her. “But my kid brother is. He’s more of an e-reader kinda guy.” 

“Heathen,” Maggie jokes. 

Jason chuckles. ‘That’s what he calls me. So this is a nice change.” 

Maggie smiles. “How was Harry’s retirement party?” 

“Good,” Jason nods. “Y’know. Normal.” 

“Yeah, because it’s normal for the President of the United States and the First Lady to show up at government liaison’s retirement party,” she snorts. 

“Okay, so, normal for a Wayne event,” Jason admits. “I’m surprised you didn’t come to cover it.” 

“Nah, they sent Danny,” Maggie says. “And my dad’s still here.” 

Jason blinks. “Your dad.” 

“Mhm.” 

“Does that mean he’s here with you?” Jason asks. 

Maggie nods. “He is. He’s in the biographies section.” 

“Y’know, I should go check on Babybat before he orders every pie on the menu.” 

Maggie wrinkles her nose. “What kind of a nickname is Babybat?” 

“The kind you give to your emo kid brother,” Jason says quickly. “Gotta go!” 

“You’re that terrified of my dad?” 

Jason backs away, nodding quickly. “Petrified.” 

“Aw, c’mon,” Steve Rogers says, standing behind him. “I’m not that scary.” 

Maggie stifles a laugh as Jason turns around, coming face to face with her father. 

“Captain Rogers,” Jason says, his shoulders tensing. 

Her father nods. “Son.” 

“Dad, that’s Jason Todd,” Maggie tells him. “He’s the new Liaison for Wayne tech at the White House.” 

“Oh, I know,” the older man says. “Although, the last time I saw you, you were a scrawny fifteen-year-old. In tights.” 

“Don’t remember,” Jason says quickly. “Not ringing any bells. Never worn tights in my life.” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“Gotta go!” Jason side-steps him, heading for the cafe. “Bye, Maggie. Bye, Cap.” 

Maggie shakes her head as she watches him and turns back to her father. “What was that about?” 

‘Don’t worry about it.” 

“Dad.” 

“You ready to go?” he asks. “There’s a half-smoke with my name on it at Ben’s. Literally. They named one after me.”

“Cuz that’s not weird at all.” 

***** 

“Was that your girlfriend?” Damian teases as he reads over the list of pies on the menu. 

“No,” Jason snaps. “And shut up. You’re fourteen. You literally know nothing about dating.” 

Damian rolls his eyes. “Whatever, Todd. All I know is that you’re letting her very famous father get in the way of asking her on a date.” 

“Am not.” 

“Please,” Damian snaps. “I saw you run away. Of all the things I have pegged you for, ‘coward’ has never been one of them.” 

“Suck on it, Demon Brat.” 

“You first, you low-rent Dick Grayson impersonator.” 

“Do not make me strangle you in public,” Jason snarls. “I will-” 

“Is there a problem, you two?” 

They both look up to find Bruce standing next to their table, an eyebrow lifted. 

“Father,” Damian grinds out. “How did you find us?” 

“I know Jason,” Bruce says. “It wasn’t hard to figure out where he would take you.” He takes a seat. “Can’t you wo spend one afternoon together without threatening to beat each other senseless?” 

“Survey says no,” Jason responds, sitting back and crossing his arms. “In my defense, he was acting like a turd.” 

“Yes, that’s very mature,” Damian grumbles. 

Bruce sighs and plucks the menu from Damian’s hand. “Why don’t we just order some pie, and have a pleasant afternoon? We’re leaving soon after all.” 

“Not soon enough,” Damian mutters. 

Jason rolls his eyes. 

***** 

Maggie sees her father off later that afternoon, and settles down on the front steps of her building, watching cars and people go by as she fiddles with her phone, and finally texts Jason. 

_“So I’ll bite. When are you going to ask me out?”_

She sends it and grins to herself, looking out at the busy street before her again.

Her phone ping and she takes a breath, looking down at the response. 

_“Does it count if I do it now?”_

Maggie smiles, delighted, and texts back. _“Maybe. Whatcha got?”_

The text that comes back is short. _“National Archives trip? Nice dinner?”_

She beams. _“Bestill my heart. Next Saturday?”_

_“Next Saturday.”_

Maggie puts the phone down and sighs, looking out at the street again, and can’t help smiling.


	17. Chapter 17

“Did you hear what the DoD committee did on Friday night?” Josh asks as he falls into step with Toby Tuesday morning, a newspaper under his arm.

“Cry to their mothers?” Toby asks as he heads for his office. “Drink to excess at being dismantled by a twenty-one-year-old who looks like he’d be more at home in a Calvin Klein ad than in the White House?” 

“Did...you just call Jason Todd pretty?” 

“What, Josh?” 

“They called Stark Industries to try and re-negotiate for weapons,” Josh tells him. 

Toby freezes as he gets to his desk. “They did what?” 

“Yeah,” Josh laughs. “They called Pepper Potts directly, and asked for a meeting. Apparently, SI is sending Annie today to meet with them.” 

“Tiny Annie Stark who is bubbly and adorable and not afraid of anyone or anything?” Toby asks. “Who, rumor has it, showed up to a State Dinner held by the last administration with what may or may not have been cocaine residue on her nose?” 

“According to her, she had eaten a pastry dusted with confectioners sugar,” Josh says.

“I’m sure it was dusted with something,” Toby sighs heavily. “Do the press have this yet?” 

“Only WaPo,” Josh says, waving his newspaper. “Annie is best friends with Maggie Rogers, so apparently, they’ve been texting.” 

“Of course they have,” Toby grumbles. “Get CJ to tell the room...the president supports all avenues in keeping Americans safe, but staff were not notified that the committee would be attempting to contact Stark for a negotiation. The President strongly supports Stark Industries, as well as Wayne Tech’s commitment to providing our troops with supplies and essential gear, and while the DoD may have their reasons for asking for more weaponry, the President would like to work with these companies in the way that both aligns with their moral compasses and benefits our troops at home and overseas.” 

CJ leans into the office. “And what if I get a question about these companies’ non-military related moral compasses?” 

“As private businesses-” Josh starts. 

“The government doesn’t have the right to impede on their practices unless they’re illegal or discriminatory,” CJ nods. “Got it. On my way now. Strap in, boys. Hurricane Annie is coming to the White House.” 

***** 

High heels click clack on the floor of the White House lobby on Tuesday morning, and a short, impeccably dressed woman walks up to the security guard at the front desk. Her dark hair is long, and her smile wide. 

“Hi there,” she says. “My name is Annie Stark. I’m here for a meeting with the DoD committee.”

“Annie!” 

She turns and squeals as Maggie Rogers rushes up and they hug tightly. 

“Ohmygodhi!” Annie cries, pulling back and beaming. “Aww. You look so professional! Look at your cute, buttoned up little dress and your pulled-back hair and your subtle make-up. Love love love.” 

“What are you doing here?” Maggie asks, laughing a little. “I didn’t know your meeting was so soon.” 

“Well, your little story in the Post forced their hands,” Annie grins. “Naughty reporter girl.” 

“Oh, well, I hope it goes well,” Maggie says. “And...you’re y’know...not on any nose candy right now, right?” 

“Me? Oh girl, I’ve been clean for like a year,” Annie waves a hand. “And I’d rather remember the looks on all of their smug old faces anyways.” 

“Ugh. I wish I could sit in on that meeting,” Maggie sighs. 

“Oh, don’t you worry, you’re gonna hear all about it,” Annie promises. “How are you?” 

“I’m...y’know what?” Maggie smiles. “I’m good. Dad’s visit was nice, and...I have a date on Saturday.” 

Annie’s eyes widen in shock. “I’m sorry did you say date? You have a date? Like with a person? Like a man, maybe?” 

Maggie laughs. “Yes.” 

“The one we talked about before? Jason? With the butt?” 

“Yes,” Maggie confirms. “Jason with the butt.” 

“Well, now that I’m here, I can’t wait to meet him,” Annie grins.

“You just might,” Maggie says. “He did what you’re about to do last week for Wayne Enterprises.” 

Annie looks surprised. “That Jason? You’re going on a date with Jason Todd? The crazy Wayne sibling?” 

“In my defense, we’re all crazy,” Jason says as he walks up. “Hi.” 

Maggie can’t help a wide smile. “Hey. Uhm...this is-” 

“Oh, I know,” Jason grins. “Hi, Miss Stark.” 

“Mr. Todd,” Annie grins, shaking his hand. “You gonna sit in on my little presentation?” 

“Is that an invitation?” he asks. “Cause I can’t come to another company’s presentation without an invite.” 

“Oh, it is,” Annie smiles. “I’ll see you there.” 

Jason nods, and grins at Maggie. “See you later?” 

Maggie smiles back at him and nods.

As he walks off, Annie watches him go and then whirls back around to Maggie. “Share.” 

“What? No.” 

“Party pooper.” 

“You have a meeting to go to, and I have a press briefing,” Maggie tells her. “And no. I’m not sharing.” 

“Such good butt, though.” 

“Go.” 

***** 

“Annie Stark is here,” Josh tells Leo. 

The older man groans. “What…” 

“The DoD committee called Pepper Potts to ask to renegotiate their stance on weapons,” Josh explains. “And now she’s here.” 

“Who the hell thought asking Stark Industries for weapons again was a good idea?!” Leo cries. “Wasn’t it bad enough the first time?! They stopped making weapons for very good, very specific reasons, and now we’re crawling on our hands and knees to them, hat in hand to change their mind twenty-odd years later? Do you see how moronic that is?” 

“I do,” Josh nods. “But I’m pretty sure the DoD don’t.” 

Leo rubs his face. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ll brief the president.” 

Josh nods, and steps out, heading back to his own office, and almost collides with Annie herself. 

“Whoa! Sorry!” 

Annie grins and side-steps him easily. “Sorry, Mr. Lyman.” 

“Uh...Josh is fine, we’re all adults now,” Josh tells her. “It’s uh...nice to uh…” 

Annie waits, pursing her lips.

“Hi.” 

Annie nods. “Hi.” 

Josh blows out a breath. “Look, I...I feel weird about this, but...uh...so…” 

“Leo and the president told the senior staff what happened to Maggie and I when we were kids,” Annie nods. 

Josh frowns. “How did you-” 

“I find that most men are terrified of assault survivors,” Annie tells him. “They look at me and don’t know what to think. They don’t know if they should feel guilty, or sad, or relieved that they weren’t the one who did it. They don’t like to look me in the eye. It’s like having a superpower.” 

“I’m sorry,” Josh nods, finally looking her in the eyes. “You’re right, I- I don’t know how to react. I don’t know the right thing to say to you.” 

“How about, ‘hi Annie, how was your flight?’” 

“Yeah, let’s start there.” 

“The flight was good,” Annie nods as they walk. “I’m excited for my presentation.” 

“I can’t imagine it’ll be long,” Josh snorts, amused. 

Annie grins. “You should come by and see it. I think you’ll like it.” 

“Should I bring doughnuts?” Josh asks as they part ways. 

Annie beams at him. “Always bring doughnuts.” 

***** 

“Why is everyone so freaked out that Tony Stark’s daughter is in the building?” Sam asks, leaning into Toby’s office. 

Toby looks up at him slowly, frowning. “Because if a Stark is in DC, you can bet they’re bringing the circus with them. Meaning that everything we had hoped to focus our news cycle on is going to be pushed aside for at least three days.” 

“Ah.” 

“They also have a terrible habit of angering senators and members of Congress,” Toby goes on. “Such as the Iron Man armor hearings which ended in Tony Stark crowing that he’d privatized world peace, and Senator Stern dropping the F-bomb live on television.” 

“Senator Stern was a member of Hydra,” Sam points out. 

“Yes.” 

“So we shouldn’t really care if he embarrassed himself on television,” Sam goes on. “To say nothing of the fact that this happened over twenty years ago now.” 

“Starks have long memories,” Toby says. “Particularly Pepper Potts, who will verbally clobber anyone who deserves it. You know why Stark Industries doesn’t have a White House liaison?” 

“Why?” 

“Because back when they did, Pepper Potts was making weekly trips here to tell the DoD to jump off a cliff,” Toby says. “She’s a very classy, very sweet lady. But she has more money than god and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her.” 

“What about Tony Stark?” 

“What about him?” 

“Why didn’t he come?” 

“Because he doesn’t have to, and he doesn’t want to, and we’re lucky, because if he did, we’d never get any work done, because he’d spend his entire time here taking apart the DoD piece by piece and then rewire the White House with technology no one knows how to use.” 

“...Oh.” 

“Yeah.” 

“So...it’s good that Annie’s here.” 

“No, it’s not,” Toby snaps. “It’s not good that any Stark is here, because it distracts everyone, and it means that we’ll, by virtue of all of this, probably have to restructure the DoD committee and get guys who aren’t idiots.” 

Sam stares at him for a long moment. “I think you’re just unhappy that the names ‘Toby’ and ‘Tony’ sound so similar.” 

“Get out of my office.” 

*****   
“Good morning,” Annie chirps as she steps into the conference room. She beams at the assembled committee, as well as Josh, Toby, Sam and Jason. 

One of the senators clears his throat and nods to her. “Miss Stark. Good morning. Thank you for meeting with us.” 

“It’s my pleasure,” Annie grins. “I don’t normally get to do things like this. Mostly, I help with the Howard and Maria Stark Charity Foundation, but my mother asked me to step in and speak with all of you about your...request.” 

“Yes, well,” the senator keeps going. “We think that a new partnership with Stark Industries could be incredibly beneficial for all parties. It’s an opportunity that Wayne Tech passed on.” 

“Oh, I heard,” Annie grins. “I heard all about it. Now, I’m very sorry, but Stark Industries is going to have to pass on the opportunity.” She gives them a sympathetic look. 

“I don’t think she’s sorry,” Josh whispers. 

“Miss Stark,” the senator says. “Is there any way to convince your company to reconsider?” 

“No,” she tells him. “And I have brought a presentation on why.” She lifts her arm and types something on the wristband she’s wearing, making a screen pop up, startling some of the senators. 

The screen shifts and finds the nearest empty wall, projecting onto it a photo of Tony Stark, with his middle finger shoved up his nose. 

“As you can see, everyone, this is why we won’t be making weapons,” Annie says, and taps her band to move to the next picture, which is another photo of Tony Stark, flipping the bird to the camera. She keeps flipping, and all portray the same thing in different poses and settings. 

“She’s definitely not sorry,” Jason mutters.

The slide changes again, and Sam frowns. “Is that the Washington Monument?” 

“Yes, it is,” Toby nods.

“Miss Stark, this is wildly inappropriate!” one of the senators cries. 

“You know what else is inappropriate?” Annie grins widely. “The fact that we have documentation that can prove there were senators who were in on Obadiah Stane's war profiteering. And that at least one is sitting in this very room. There are among you, people who have made sickening amounts of money off of the fear and torture and murder of innocent people.” She smiles at them all. “And I just said that in front of three members of the President’s senior staff. Which means you can expect a thorough investigation into my allegations.” 

Jason blinks rapidly. “This woman is my hero.” 

Annie smiles at all of them as she ends the projection. “My father will be waiting by the phone to hear from the FBI. And he and my mother will give them their fullest and more diligent corporation.” 

Silence falls over the room.

“Have a great day!” she cries. “Enjoy the doughnuts. Josh brought them.” 

With that, she whirls out of the room. 

Toby blows out a breath. “And now you know why it’s bad when a Stark comes to Washington.” 

***** 

It’s not long before they’re standing in the Oval Office.

“Tell me that this is a joke,” the President says. “Tell me that a pint-sized terror didn’t just walk into my White House and accuse unnamed senators of illegal war profiteering.” 

“We should also check for ties with Hydra,” Josh says.

“NAZI war profiteers?!” Bartlet yells. 

“Technically Hydra agents aren’t Nazis,” Sam points out. “They broke off from Hitler when-” 

“If it goose-steps like a Nazi, and it salutes like a Nazi, and it kills like a Nazi, it’s probably a Nazi,” Toby cuts him off. 

“I’ll get on the phone with Pepper Potts,” Leo says. “I want everything. Every record. I want no stone left unturned. Josh, you pull all of the details from the Obadiah Stane investigation and trial, and I wanna know about every government official who knew him. Every dinner he had in this town, every office he walked into. I wanna know which hotels he stayed in, and who was where when, I wanna know where he stopped for his morning coffee, every phone call, I want everything.” 

“I wanna talk to Annie Stark,” the President says. 

“No,” Leo says.

“Leo-” 

“You talk to Annie Stark before we know the full scope of what we got, and we have a bigger problem on our hands than just her accusations,” Leo points out. 

“I’ve known Annie since she wasn’t tall enough to reach a kitchen sink!” Bartlet cries. “Let me talk to her.” 

“If the press see her up here, they’re gonna wanna know why,” CJ says. “They’re gonna start asking questions, and Annie’s best friend is the Washington Post’s new junior correspondent.” 

“Let them,” Bartlet snaps. “The American people should be made aware of all of this! Let them ask questions! Let Annie tell Maggie Rogers everything! Their country is being run by criminals and monsters who profited off of the corpses of the innocent!” 

“We may not like what we find,” Sam says carefully. “Senators and members of congress we’ve backed...shown support for. Anybody could be involved in this.” 

“Then so be it,” Bartlet says. “We don’t hide from this one. We don’t play nice and we don’t tiptoe around this.” 

“This will eat our news cycle for the rest of the year,” CJ points out. 

“Good, it should,” Bartlet says. “Let’s get to work. Leo, you call Pepper. CJ, please bring Annie up here.” 

CJ nods. “Yes, sir.” 

Leo blows out a soft breath. “Once the President is done talking to him, CJ, you can brief the press. Let them know-” 

CJ nods again. “Grave allegations have been made against current government officials and the White House takes them very seriously. We’re going to be looking into this throughout the week, and the FBI will be brought in once we determine the scope of what we’re looking at and can provide them with more than ‘he said, she said.’” 

“Good,” Leo nods. “Let’s go.” 

***** 

Annie waits next to Mrs. Landingham’s desk, fidgeting a little. 

“How are you, dear?” Mrs. Landingham asks.

Annie smiles at her gratefully. “Oh. Y’know. Just dropping figurative bombs and waiting for the fallout.” 

Mrs. Landingham reaches out and gently pats her hand. “Sometimes that’s our job. It’s not fun, and it’s not pretty and it makes more enemies than friends. But it is necessary.”

Annie nods, and gives her a grateful grin.

***** 

“The Department of Defense Committee met with Annie Stark today, who has been at the White House representing Stark Industries. They’re best known for making very powerful weapons for our military about twenty-five years ago, though these days they most notably make high-end tracking systems. During this meeting, Miss Stark leveled allegations that some currently active, unnamed senators had their hands in the war profiteering that Tony Stark’s former business partner, Obadiah Stane, was involved in.” 

Reporters start calling out her name to ask questions and she holds up a hand to try and quiet them, calling over them.

“The President, and this White House, take these allegations very seriously, and will be looking into them this week. Once the Chief of Staff and the President feel that we have enough information, we’ll be shifting everything over to the FBI to start a formal investigation.” 

They call out some more, and CJ points. 

“Steven.” 

“Will you be looking into ties to Hydra?” Steven asks quickly. 

“Heck yeah, we will,” CJ tells him. “The President is keen on rooting out any and all leftover Hydra agents that may still be in Washington. Danny.” 

“Is it possible that these senators could also be tied to the Ten Rings?” he asks. 

“We’re not ruling anything out,” CJ says. “I don’t know what the scope of the FBI investigation will be yet, I’ll be able to give you more information as the week goes on. Karen.” 

“We’re certain Miss Stark wasn’t just trying to rattle the senators?” 

“If she was, we’ll know, and we’ll act accordingly.” 

Danny turns to Maggie and talks softly. “You got anything on this?” 

“Heck no,” Maggie whispers back. “The Obadiah Stane thing happened before Dad was found in the ice.” She raises her hand. 

“Maggie.” 

“Will the White House be calling on SHIELD for support in their investigation?” she asks, and Danny looks at her approvingly. 

“I would not be surprised if former Director Fury and current Director Coulson got a phone call this week,” CJ says. 

“What about the other companies who have worked with the DoD?” Maggie goes on. “Hammer Industries? Wayne Tech? Will they be questioned?” 

“I can’t confirm that yet,” CJ says. “But I’ll have more for you in the morning. That’s a full lid, folks.” 

“Gonna go flirt?” Maggie asks. 

Danny snorts. “Heck no, she’s got work to do.” 

Maggie grins. “You should go flirt.” 

Danny rolls his eyes. “I’m not livin’ this down huh?” 

“Never.” 

“Is it true you got a date with Jason Todd?” Danny asks. 

Maggie stops and frowns. “Yeah. Yeah, he asked me out. Why?” 

“Nothin.” 

“Danny.” 

“I should go flirt.” 

“Danny, if you know something-” 

“I know a lot,” Danny admits as they walk out of the briefing room. 

Maggie stops and looks at him. “Okay. So spill.” 

“Orphaned when he was somewhere between eight and ten,” Danny says. “Street kid til Bruce Wayne took him in. Takes doin’ some not-so-nice things to survive alone in a place like Gotham when you’re that young.” 

Maggie swallows, feeling the color drain from her face. “Oh.” 

“His Dad got tossed in jail. Never came back. I think he mighta died there,” Danny goes on. “His stepmom had a drug overdose.” 

“That’s terrible,” Maggie says. 

“There’s a little more,” Danny tells her. 

She tilts her head. “Okay. Wow. More than that?” 

“There’s a four year blank spot,” he says. “Between the ages of fifteen and nineteen.” 

Maggie narrows her eyes. 

“Public records say he got caught in an explosion in Ethiopia,” Danny explains. “And spent four years out of the country, recovering.” 

“You think that’s bullshit,” Maggie comments. 

“I got theories,” Danny shrugs. “They’re nuts, but they’re theories.” 

“What was he doing in Ethiopia?” Maggie asks. 

“That’s not the right question,” Danny shakes his head. “The right question is: what was he doin’ in Ethiopia at the same time as Batman, Robin and the Joker?” 

Maggie stares at him, her eyes wide. 

“I gotta go,” Danny says. “I gotta go flirt.” 

“No, yeah, yeah,” Maggie shakes herself a little. “Of course. I gotta...I’m gonna catch up with Annie.” 

“She gives you anything good, you text me.” 

“Yeah.”


	18. Chapter 18

It’s not hard for Maggie to find the newspapers and the records on Jason Todd. Specifically with a little help from a certain AI. 

“Hi, Friday,” she says as she settles the earbud in, connecting her to Tony’s database. 

“Hullo, Miss Maggie. Alright?” 

“Oh, you know it,” she says lightly. “Hey, do me a favor and forward me everything you can find on Jason Todd of Gotham City.” 

“You got it. Forwarding now.” 

Maggie waits, and her laptop pings, an email form the AI coming through. “Perfect, Friday, you’re the best.” 

“Shall I erase the record?” Friday asks. 

“Yyyyeaaaahhhh,” Maggie drawls out. “Yeah, let’s not let Uncle Tony know I’m looking into this.”

“No worries. All deleted.” 

“Thanks, Friday. Chat soon?” 

“You had better, young lady.” 

Maggie smirks and takes the earbud out, before opening up the email Friday had sent. “Hmm,” she mutters. “Okay...we’ve got cps records...a stint in juvie...adoption records…” She sifts through everything, noting everything that Danny had mentioned to her earlier that night, and stops when she comes across newspaper articles she hadn’t seen in the search she’d done herself. 

She frowns, and keeps reading. 

***** 

Jason frowns at his frazzled-looking secretary when he gets to the office on Friday morning. 

“Josie?” 

Josie, for her part, looks like she might either scream or cry or both. She shakes her head. “There’s an asshole in your office,” she tells him.

Jason’s frown deepens as he leans back to take a look.

The man in his office is older, and dressed in military regalia, looking impatient, and deeply unhappy. 

“Whoa,” Jason mutters. “Okay. Who is that?” 

“General Ross,” Josie grouses. “He called me ‘sweetie’ and told me to get him a coffee.” 

“Did you?” 

“No.” 

“Good,” Jason nods, pulling his wallet from his back pocket and handing her a couple of twenties. “Why don’t you go get yourself some breakfast, and bring me back a bagel with schmear and a coffee?” 

Josie frowns a little. “Okay.” 

Jason grins as she takes the money. “Take an hour. Go cool off. We’ll get started on the day’s stuff when you get back.” 

Josie nods as she pockets the bills. “Okay, Jason.” 

He watches her go, and then turns to his office, closing the door. 

“Mister Todd.” 

“Yeah.” 

“I’m-” 

“I don’t care who you are,” Jason snaps. “I don’t care if you’re king of the fucking moon. You don’t talk down to my staff.” 

“Excuse me?” the man snaps. 

“You heard me, General,” Jason says. “You might be a walking, talking penis, but that nice young woman is a human being trying to earn a living. If you ever talk like that to her again, I’ll throw you out the window.” 

General Ross glowers at him. “I see we’re not getting off on the right foot.” 

“No, we’re not,” Jason says as he sits at his desk. “What do you want?” 

“I’m here representing the DoD.” 

Jason snorts. “Oh, yeah?” 

“I came-” 

“To ask for weapons,” Jason finishes. “I believe I made my stance on that pretty clear.” 

“Todd-” 

“No.” 

“Mr. Todd. There are threats to this world you can’t even imagine. Things that exist that are too fantastical to be believed.” 

Jason blinks at him. “Is...is this the part where you pull out the purple top hat and start singing ‘Pure Imagination’? Cause I gotta tell ya. You don’t look a thing like Gene Wilder, and that’s a problem for me.” 

Ross growls. “You’re not listening!” 

“General Ross, I’m from Gotham,” Jason says. “And I’m not just some guy who moved there on a whim, I was born there. I was raised there. Until I was fifteen, I’d never really been anywhere else. I know that extremely bad things exist in this world, cuz more often than not, they lived down the street.” 

“So you know why our military needs more weapons,” Ross says. “You know why we need to be prepared.”

Jason grins, but stays quiet. 

“You need to convince your father to make the military weapons,” Ross tells him, getting to his feet.

“No.” 

“Yes.” 

“General, I’m going to have to ask you leave.” 

“That’s not going to happen,” Ross snaps. “Not until I get what I came here for.” 

Jason gets up, too, slowly,looking thoughtful. “You know what’s great about human ingenuity?” 

Ross narrows his eyes as he watches Jason pull something out from under his desk. 

It’s a crowbar. 

Jason smiles. “Humans can make a weapon out of just about anything. Here,” he says, stepping out from behind the desk with the crowbar raised. “Lemme give you a demonstration.” 

***** 

Ellie Bartlet’s secret service detail are understandably a little wary when they show up Jason’s office forty-five minutes later, to find General Ross storming out. 

“That man is a maniac! A complete and utter nut-job!” The old man yells as he storms past them. “He should be locked up!” 

Jason pokes his head out of his office, grinning, the crowbar over his shoulder. “They tried that already, old man, it didn’t stick!” He freezes when he sees the security detail. “Uh...hey there.” He hides the crowbar behind his back. “If you’re wondering, I didn’t actually hit that guy. I just kinda...swung a metal bar around a couple times over the last half-hour or so in an attempt to make him leave.” 

“So what you’re saying,” Ellie says softly, as she steps in behind the agents and they move to stand by the door. “Is that you haven’t changed very much.” 

Jason drops his crowbar. 

She smiles sadly. “Hi.” 

“El.” 

“Yeah.” 

They stare at each other for a long moment, both hesitating, neither moving, until Ellie huffs and steps forward, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck tightly. 

Jason wraps his arms around her, just as tight and lifts her off the ground.

“You’re so tall now,” Ellie says tearfully. 

“You’re still short as hell,” he tells her with his face buried in her shoulder. 

She laughs a little. “I’m really glad you’re okay.” 

His arms tighten even more around her. “Yeah.” 

“I wanna know everything,” Ellie says. 

“Holy shit, you really don’t,” Jason mutters, setting her on her feet and pulling back. 

Ellie takes a breath and wipes her eyes a little. “Did you at least get a full physical when you got back?” 

“Ellie-” 

“Was there lasting damage?” she asks. “We should make you a doctor’s appointment with a GP, and get you really checked out. Your dad was always so bad at stuff like that. Didn’t he have Alfred do all of your medical upkeep?” 

“Yeah, but-” 

“And we should make sure all of your vaccinations are up to date,” Ellie goes on. “And get you a flu shot. Have you had a flu shot yet?” 

“El-” 

“And you should probably get a prostate exam,” Ellie goes on. 

“Jesus, Ellie,” Jason snaps. “I’m fine, I swear I am. Med school has turned you into the biggest worry wart ever.” 

She huffs. “It’s not every day your friend comes back from the dead. I just...I want to make sure you’re okay.” 

“I’m okay,” Jason grins. “I uh...I actually have a date Saturday night.” 

‘Oh, really?” Ellie asks, lifting an eyebrow. “Who is this girl? Am I going to have to beat her up for you if she hurts you?” 

“I just threatened a United States Army general with a rusty crowbar, I think I can handle a little heartbreak.” 

“Except that you haven’t been on a date since you were fifteen.” 

‘That was a good date,’ Jason grins a little. 

“That was a good date,” Ellie nods. “It was my first kiss.” 

“It wasn’t mine,” Jason admits. “But it sure was my favorite.” 

She smiles at him. “Does she know about you?” 

“She’s a reporter,” Jason shrugs. “So if she didn’t before i asked her out, she’s probably been doing nothing but homework since. What are you doing here anyways?” 

“I’m up at Hopkins,” Ellie tells him. “And my mom wanted me to visit. And I hadn’t seen you yet, so I thought I’d stop here beforehand.” 

“I’m glad you did,” he says, reaching out and gently tugging a lock of her hair. “You got time to have dinner with me? I bet we can talk Alfred into making those meatballs he used to make for Wayne Manor dinner parties.” 

“I’ll see if I can sneak off one night while I’m here,” Ellie promises. “Preferably after your date. I want details.” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’re so nosy.” 

She shoves at his face playfully. “Bye, Jay.” 

“Bye, El.” 

He watches her go, flanked by her secret service detail and sighs heavily, picking up his crowbar to put it away.

***** 

“Hi, Dad.” 

“Magpie, Hey,” Steve Rogers’ voice comes through the phone fondly. “How’s it going?” 

“Well...I have that date with that guy tomorrow.” 

“Uh...okay…” 

“And I did my research,” Maggie goes on as she heads toward the White House. “And it’s not great.” 

“...Yeah.” 

“I just...he’s lived through so many bad things,” Maggie says. “I don’t even know how to relate to him.” 

“Maggie…” 

“No, really. How do you find common ground with someone whose life has been upended so many times? Who’s been through so much crap?” 

Steve chuckles softly. 

“What?” Maggie asks, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, frowning deeply. “Why are you laughing at me?” 

“Because I can actually help with this,” her father says. “And it’s nice to feel that way sometimes.” 

“Dad…” 

“You know how you relate to him?” Steve says. “By treating him like he’s normal.” 

Maggie blinks. 

“You treat him like there’s nothing wrong with him,” he goes on. “Like those things don’t matter. It’s a big reason Zondra won me over. She wasn’t interested in the serum or the plane going down or my getting unfrozen or any of that garbage. She was interested in me.” 

Maggie listens, staying quiet. 

“You like this guy?” Steve asks. “You really like him?” 

“Yeah.” 

“And you don’t care about his past, at all? You’re not scared?” 

“Not really.” 

Steve blows out a breath, obviously a little troubled himself. “Then just treat him like a normal date. At the end of the day, whatever he’s been through, he’s just a kid who likes you.” 

“Dad…” 

“Yeah?” 

“When you talked about meeting Jason when he was in tights…” she swallows, and lowers her voice. “His dad is Batman, isn’t he? And he was Robin?” 

“You’re too good at your job, Magpie.” 

“Daddy, did Jason die?” 

There’s silence on the other end of the line for a long moment.

“It’s just-” Maggie bites her lip as she starts walking again. “It’s just that the timing lines up...Jason died in Ethiopia while Batman and Robin and the Joker were there, and then...and then Batman didn’t have a Robin for a long time, and Jason’s death was kept so quiet...You’d think that Gotham’s papers would have covered the hell out of Bruce Wayne’s son dying…” 

“But they didn’t,” Steve says gently. “Because Bruce kept it all pretty quiet for a long time, for a lot of reasons.” 

“And then suddenly he was back,” Maggie says. “No explanations, no...that was a year ago, that he suddenly started showing up in Wayne family photos and paparazzi snaps...was he dead all that time?” 

“No.” 

Maggie frowns as she stops outside the White House. “I guess I’ll have to ask him about that.” 

“I guess so.” 

Maggie blows out a breath. “I have to go to work.” 

“Have a good day, Magpie. I love you.” 

“Yeah. I love you too.” 

***** 

“Do you know why you’re here?” 

“For a tea party?” Jason asks hopefully as he drops onto Toby’s couch. 

The older man shakes his head. “No. No, Jason Todd, you are not here for a tea party. You are here because you threatened a United States Army General with a crowbar.” 

“When?” Jason frowns, and then lights up. “Oh. Right. Yeah. That was this morning. Ol’ Thunderbolt caught me before my morning coffee, I was just a little cranky.” 

“Jason-” 

“I didn’t mean anything by it or nothin’ Mr. Ziegler.” 

“Jason-” 

“I mean, it’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye anyways, and he walked out with both of his so-” 

“You’re gonna make it up to General Ross,” Toby says, raising his voice. “You’re gonna apologize to the man, and you’re gonna get him a one-on-one with your father.” 

Jason goes quiet. 

“I know-” Toby lowers his voice again and rubs his face. “I know...that you are used to dealing with men like Thaddeus Ross in a very specific, very definite way. But this isn’t Gotham. And it’s not the street, and it’s not the Batcave. It’s Washington DC. We don’t have to like each other, but we gotta live with each other. All you had to do was tell him no.” 

“I did, and he wouldn’t leave,” Jason says, crossing his arms. 

“So you wait him out!” Toby cries. “You don’t pull a crowbar and start swinging! That’s a lawsuit, Jason!” 

“He pressing charges?” 

“Not yet. He wants to know what he can outta you aside from money.” 

Jason rolls his eyes. “Fine. I’ll get him the meeting with B. But he’s not getting an apology.” 

“Jason…” 

“I’m not sorry,” Jason says. “That fucker waltzed into my office, proverbially stepped all over my office manager and then made demands. And then refused to leave.” 

“So you call security! You call the cops!” Toby stops. “You don’t trust cops, and you’ve been trained to be better, more efficient security than Wayne Enterprises can ever hope to-...Get Ross the meeting. Don’t do this again.” 

“Can I go now?” 

“Yes, god, please. Get out of my sight.” 

Jason hops up and dashes out, nearly running into Maggie on his way out of the communications office. 

“Oh!” 

“Hey!” Jason cries. “Hi. Sorry.” 

Maggie grins a little. “Hi.” 

“Hi.” 

Maggie laughs a little, though her eyes look a little sad. “Yeah.” 

“You uh...you ready for our date tomorrow?” Jason asks, tilting his head as he looks at her, trying to read her expression. 

“Yeah! It’ll be great,” she nods, her eyes clearing up a little. “Can’t wait.” 

Jason watches her as they part ways, and deep in the pit of his stomach, he knows that she knows. 

If not everything, then enough to make things a little strange.

He blows out a breath. “Happy Friday to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I aged down Ellie juuuust a tad to suit my needs.


	19. Chapter 19

“...And now I have to waste my time having a meeting with a man who calls himself Thunderbolt.” 

Jason doesn’t respond, just swivels in his office chair as Bruce talks over the speaker phone. 

“Jason, are you even listening?” 

He shakes his head. “Yeah, B. Sorry. I just...does it strike you as weird?” 

“That you went after a US Army General with a crowbar? Yes and no.” 

“No...the...that all these DoD rubes are asking for the same things, over and over and over again?” Jason asks. “They’re not making any arguments or or being reasonable or rational. They just want us to make weapons.” 

“The United States stands to make a lot of money off of-” 

“But they’re not even talking about that,” Jason interrupts. “And they fed the same line to Stark. Do you know if they’ve been in touch with Kord? Or Hammer? No, never mind, I’ll do my own digging on that.” 

“You suspect something is going on.” 

“It’s just not super imaginative is all,” Jason points out. “And Ross didn’t press charges, he just wants to see you. In person.” 

“Well, he is a maniac,” Bruce points out. “Between the Hulk scandal and trying to subpoena Captain America’s body when he first came out of the ice-” 

“Woooow, that is nuts,” Jason marvels. 

“I wouldn’t put anything past him,” Bruce finishes. “I’ll be there Monday, and you and I are going to have a very long talk about why there is a crowbar in your office, and why there shouldn't be.” 

“It really ties the room together,” Jason quips, grinning. 

“Don’t think that our shared love of the Coen Brothers is going to get you out of this.” 

Jason sighs deeply. “So...uh...change of subject?” 

“What?” 

“I have a date tomorrow night.” 

“...Oh.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Is...uhm...is she nice?” 

“Yeah, she’s great...but uh...I think she knows. At least some stuff. I ran into her earlier today and she looked at me with that sad look that people get when they know some of my shit.” 

“This is the reporter?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Well...be careful,” Bruce says. 

“Yeah.” 

“I’ll see you Monday.” 

“Yeah.” 

***** 

“Jason Todd went after Thunderbolt Ross with a crowbar?” 

“So I’m told,” Leo says wearily. 

Bartlet snorts. “I think I had a daydream about that once. Is he pressing charges?” 

“No,” Leo tells him. “But he scored a meeting with Bruce Wayne.”

Bartlet stops walking just outside of his office. 

“What?” 

“Nothing, it’s just...Leo, does it seem strange to you that the DoD refuses to let up on all of this?” Bartlet asks. “They keep asking for the same things over and over again from people they know won’t give them what they want.” 

“But the people that won’t give them what they want are the best,” Leo points out. “Half the time they go to Hammer and the equipment doesn’t work, or it backfires. They want reliability and state-of-the-art machinery and for that, it’s Stark or Wayne.” 

“But why? Why now?” 

“I’ll look into it.” 

“Thank you. And while you’re at it, let’s give Jason a good talking-to, as we’d all like to swing a metal pipe at Ross sometimes, but exercise self control.” 

“Toby did it already.” Leo stops before he heads to his office. “By the way, Kitty Pryde is here next week.” 

Bartlet smiles. “Really! And what do we owe the pleasure of the UN’s mutant ambassador at our White House?” 

“She wants to talk about our upcoming inspection of the Xavier school,” Leo says. 

Bartlet’s smile falls. “Oh. Well, even so, it’s always good to see her. Does Josh know?” 

“I’ll let him know today,” Leo says.

“Good. It’s a hoot when you get those two in the same room.” 

Charlie frowns as he watches them. “Not to eavesdrop but how do Josh and Miss Pryde know each other?” 

Leo chuckles. “Believe it or not, they went to Jewish summer camp together.” 

“...That’s a thing?” Charlie asks. 

“Oh, yeah,” Leo nods. “They were very good friends as kids, and they’ve been close for a long time. Kitty’s daughter Jane is named in memory Josh’s sister Joan.” 

“I didn’t know Kitty was married,” Charlie tilts his head. 

“She’s not,” Bartlet snaps. “Which I don’t agree with, but every time I bring it up, she and Wisdom say they’re too busy to plan the kind of wedding everybody expects.” 

“Which is true,” Leo says. 

“So they go to the courthouse!” Bartlet cries as he heads into his office. “They grab Meggan and Brian and they fly her mother in and pull his old man out of the old folks home, they give Janie a bucket of flowers and they get it done.” 

“They don’t care as much as you do, Mr. President,” Leo says, amused. “Although Pete’s coming on this trip to meet with other intelligence directors. You could always marry them here in the Oval by force.” 

“That’s not a terrible idea,” Bartlet grouses. 

Charlie shakes his head. “Mr. President, Director Fury is on his way here to see you.” 

Bartlet sighs heavily. “Here we go...Yeah. Let’s get this show moving.” 

***** 

“Josh Lyman’s office.” 

“Donna Moss.” 

Donna grins widely. “Kitty Pryde.” 

“Hi, Donna. Is he around?” 

She spots Josh heading back to his office. “Yeah, he just got back from a budget meeting.” She waves him over and whisper. “Kitty.” 

Josh snaps the phone up from her. “Hey!” 

“Hey, Lyman,” Kitty grins. “How’s tricks?” 

“Ah, y’know. The Budget isn’t balanced, Congress doesn’t wanna do their jobs, and Annie Stark threw a live grenade into a room full of senators and now we’re gonna have a hearing about war profiteering on our hands, but nobody has spilled coffee on me yet, so I’m callin’ it a win. How’s London? How’s Pete? How’s Janie?” 

“London is still standing, and everybody’s good,” Kitty tells him. “Pete’s on leave, and the three of us are heading for you guys next week. He’s got a pow-wow with the CIA and a few other Intelligence directors, and I’ve got a few meetings with Leo about the inspection you guys wanna do on the Xavier School.” 

“Didn’t you drunkenly proclaim last time we hung out that...you never wanted to stick your neck out for those, and I quote: ‘big, dumb, complicated assholes’ ever again? Cuz they hate your boyfriend and they treat your daughter like a four-year-old pariah because she’s not Colossus’ kid?” 

Kitty sighs heavily. “Ah, they’re family. I gotta.” 

“Yeah. So We’ll see you next week?” 

“You, me, Pete, Donna, dinner?” 

“Hell, yeah.” 

Donna claps happily. “Yay.” 

“I might even invite Sam,” Josh says teasingly, which earns him a groan from Kitty. 

“Josh.” 

“C’mon, Kitty, Sam’s not-” 

“He’s the worst kind of goyishe kopf.” 

“Hey, hey, don’t Yiddish so loud, Toby’s super-Jewish hearing will perk up,” Josh jokes. “Let me know when you guys get here, we’ll make plans.” 

“Bye, Josh. Bye Donna!” 

“Bye!” Donna cries as Josh hangs up the phone. “Kitty and Pete and Janie are visiting.” 

Josh grins, amused. “Yeah. It’s funny that you like them so much.” 

“You love them like family, of course I like them,” Donna grins. “Just keep me posted on dinner plans.” 

“Yeah.” 

He watches her get up and takes a breath, before heading back to his office, where the phone rings again. He picks it up and slumps down into his chair. 

“This is Josh Lyman.” 

“Have you asked that poor girl out yet?” 

“Kitty-” 

“You haven’t.” 

“Kitty-” 

“Josh.” 

“Kitty, I’m not-” 

“You suck.” 

“Hey.” 

“Donna is so cute, and funny and smart, and you adore her, what is the problem?” 

“Bye, Kitty.”

“Ugh. Bye.” 

He hangs up and rubs his eyes.

***** 

“Mr. President.” 

“Nick, I don’t wanna hear your excuses.” 

“Mr. President.” 

“I don’t want excuses!” the President yells. “I want names. I want the name of every known Hydra operative who got rooted out when the Winter Soldier surfaced. I want all known still-active Hydra agents that Phil knows about now, and I want the names of the government officials who were in on Obadiah Stane’s little side hustle!” 

“Those documents are deeply classified, Mister President,” Fury tells him. “Because SHIELD, the CIA and the NSA are still looking into a lot of those people, and they’re doing it under the radar.” 

“And in the meantime, every senator and every congressman is going to be dragged through a judiciary hearing - if not a grand jury investigation - to root them out!” Bartlet says. He rubs his face and leans against his desk. “Nick, I’m not asking for these lists to be a pain, I’m not asking for these lists to go hunt people down, I’m asking so we don’t wind up pointing our fingers at the wrong guys. I don’t want a repeat of the Hollywood Ten, or Mccarthyism, or a red scare. I wanna get the bad guys, and I wanna leave everybody else alone.” 

Fury sits back and crosses his arms, staying quiet. 

“Was Stane Hydra?” Bartlet asks. 

Fury takes a deep breath. “Mister President-” 

“Was he, Nick?” 

“This does not leave this room,” Fury says quietly. “Not ever. Not Leo. Not your wife, not Charlie or Mrs. Landingham. Not anybody. Because the last time Tony Stark found out new information about his parents’ murders, he went crazy and tried to kill two super soldiers at the same time, and he lost.” 

Bartlet’s face goes green. “Oh, my god,” he says softly. “Stane helped organize Howard and Maria’s deaths?” 

Fury nods silently. “He wasn’t Hydra, Mr. President. He wasn’t Ten Rings. He was just a dirty, greedy son of a bitch. And when Hydra approached him about helping to get rid of the Starks, he saw a chance to manipulate Tony and take the company. So he organized their vacation that year. He planned it all, under the guise of giving Howard a break from all the stress...Tony’s bad behavior, and the company and SHIELD breathing down his neck...”

Bartlet says nothing. 

“Peggy Carter spent a decade trying to prove it,” Fury goes on. “And she had nothing concrete. We had nothing. Until Pierce showed his hand. Until the Winter Soldier resurfaced all those years ago. Peggy died just before that.” 

“God,” Bartlet shakes his head. “She was an amazing woman, wasn’t she? I was still in diapers when she was saving the free world from Hydra and the Nazis with Captain America.” 

“You ever meet her?” 

“Once, at a social event,” the President says. “Some...charity thing, I think. In the late eighties, when I was running for Congress.” 

Fury snorts, amused. “So way after she stopped takin’ everybody’s shit.” 

“Oh, yeah. She could command a room with just a look,” Bartlet muses. “You know, when I was younger, it was a strange feeling to want to be like a woman. I guess we can blame that on toxic masculinity or whatever the hell they’re calling it these days. But god, I wanted to be as good at my job as she was at hers. Nothing ever stood in her way. Nothing ever made her back down.” 

“I can confidently say that I learned from the best,” Fury grins. “You go to the funeral?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“That quote Sharon Carter pulled out during the eulogy…” 

Bartlet nods. “‘Compromise where you can, and where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right, even if the whole world is telling you to move. It is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say, no. You move.’” He shakes his head sadly.

“And then the world went crazy,” Fury says quietly.

“Yeah,” Bartlet nods. “You ever notice that? When great women die, the world just stops making sense for a good long while?” 

Fury chuckles. “Yeah. Yeah, I did notice.” 

Bartlet sighs and looks at Fury. “Step outside with me, I need a smoke.” 

Fury nods, and gets to his feet, following him as the Marines at the door open it for them, and getting hit with the sounds of light rainfall.

***** 

“So how mad was he?” Ellie asks as she follows Jason into the house after work that day and the secret service agents stand outside the front door. 

“Eh. He’s been madder,” Jason shrugs. “But he’s pissed. He was probably just too tired to really let me have it then. But he’ll be here Monday.” 

“Two days to prep for hurricane Wayne,” Ellie grins a little. “Hey.” 

“Yeah.” 

“I got you a list of doctors.” 

“Ellie…” 

She lifts an eyebrow. “I’ll email the to you. A good, local GP, an oncologist, a good dentist, an optometrist, and a few options for therapy.” 

“I’m not going to therapy.” 

“Jason-” 

“Ellie!” he cries as they stand in the foyer. “I’m not going to therapy! I went to therapy and I’m not going again!” 

“Why not?” 

“Because it sucked!” 

“Of course it sucked,” Ellie scoffs. “Jay, therapy is hard work. It’s about facing your fears and your problems head on, and that is always, always going to suck.” 

Jason stays silent for a long moment. “I’m already broken, El,” he says softly. “What if it makes me lose it? What if there’s no coming back?” 

Ellie takes his arms gently. “Jason, you already crashed and burned. You’ve spent the last year putting the pieces back together, and you’re doing a good job...crowbars and army generals notwithstanding.” 

They both grin. 

“The point is, you already hit rock bottom,” Ellie goes on. “There’s nowhere to go but up, and you’re on your way. Therapy is an extra boost to the surface of all this.” 

He looks down. 

“Think about it,” Ellie says, patting his elbow. “But whether you like it or not you’re getting a real physical, you’re getting your teeth cleaned and your eyes checked, and I will drag you to the oncologist myself if I have to. Some crazy person dipped your half-dead body into a pool of green goo with as-yet unexplained healing powers. No getting out of it.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” 

Alfred clears his throat from the hallway. “Miss Ellie. It is very good to see you.” 

Ellie grins. “Hi, Alfred. It’s good to see you too. I am here for meatballs, and to help Jason pick an outfit for his date tomorrow night.” 

“Very well, Miss,” Alfred chuckles. “Please make yourself comfortable. I’m certain Jason wouldn’t mind getting you a drink while I prepare dinner.” 

“On it,” Jason nods, stepping away from her. 

Alfred takes a breath and looks at Ellie. “Thank you for helping him, Miss Ellie. He is rather short on friends these days, and very short on friends with good sense.” 

Ellie grins sadly, and follows Jason. 

***** 

“I don’t wanna talk about this date,” Maggie says as she pours herself and Annie more wine. “I wanna talk about the bomb you dropped about government officials and war profiteering.” 

Annie smirks. “But I wanna talk about your date! What are you wearing?” 

“Where’s your list?” Maggie asks as she sits down. “Where’s your proof? What’s your proof?” 

“Are you shaving your legs?” Annie asks. “He looks like he’d do stuff on the first date, you better shave your legs.” 

“Annie!” 

“Okay!” she cries, laughing. “Okay. Am I on the record?” 

“No, do you wanna be?” 

“God, no.” 

Maggie huffs. 

“Look, about four months ago, Mom found Stane’s records. The payouts from the arms deals he made with the terror organizations he was affiliated with. And the names started out pretty small-time, but they kept getting bigger and bigger. We’re talking about long-sitting senators, and members of congress. Military officials. They’d help Stane set up meetings covertly, open up channels he didn’t have access to without the kind of clearance these guys have, and they all made a lot of money. There’s a ledger. There’s recorded meetings, I assume kept for insurance. Mom and Dad and Uncle Rhodie have been going through it all.” 

“You don’t have access to it?” Maggie asks. 

“They’re still digging through,” Annie says. “But dad wanted me to get the ball rolling after we got that call from the DoD. He was so mad.” 

“Yeah,” Maggie nods. “Why didn’t they call in SHIELD? Your Mom and Coulson are still good friends...your dad and Fury still have a relationship. Why not go to them first?” 

“You know my dad,” Annie shrugs. “He gets mad, he makes it public.” 

“He definitely did that,” Maggie sighs as she sips her wine. “Were there SHIELD agents involved?” 

“I don’t know,” Annie says. 

“Do you think Crossbones was involved?” Maggie asks. 

Annie swallows a long sip of wine. “I don’t know. Can we not tonight, please?” 

Maggie nods, going quiet as she sips her own wine some more. “You wanna help me pick a dress out for tomorrow?” 

“God yes. How slutty do you wanna be?” 

“Oh, it’s gonna be a long night.” 

“More wine! Drunk fashion show, let’s do this!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fine. This got away from me. I generally try not to do two in one day, but...


	20. Chapter 20

He sighs and tugs at the red button-down he’s wearing, waiting on the steps of the National Archives. 

Maggie is five minutes late, which isn’t the end of the world obviously, but….

Ellie had been a big help the night before, helping him to pick out clothes, and practicing conversation points. 

“What if she asks about past relationships?” Jason had asked. 

Ellie had given him an understanding smile. “You and I were on-again off-again, but we’ve both decided that we make much better friends, so we’re not dating.” 

“That sounded better than ‘well I’ve never been in a serious relationship, but I definitely had sex with dad’s ex a couple times. I think I was legal, but who the hell knows, when you died real hard, am I right?’” 

Ellie had given him a blank look; one that told him she hadn’t been expecting that response at all. “Don’t ever say that.” 

So he won’t. 

But Maggie is still five -

Six -

Minutes late. 

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m here!” 

He turns, and Maggie is dashing up the steps toward him, wearing a dress under a warm coat in the chilly afternoon. Around her neck is a camera she’s holding so it doesn’t bounce around as she runs. 

Jason grins. “Hey.” 

“Hi!” she cries, coming to a stop in front of him and pushing long blonde hair away from her eyes. “Hey. Thanks for waiting.” 

“You’re not that late,” Jason tells her. “Believe me. One time I waited for one of my kid brothers for an entire night, before I realized he had probably fallen asleep standing up somewhere.” 

Maggie laughs a little, and then turns to look at the National Archive building. “So? You ready?” 

“Yeah,” Jason nods. “I hear that got an insane collection in of pop culture and comic book stuff. That should be fun.” 

Maggie beams, and he feels his heart do something weird it’s never really done before. He ignores it, and offers her an arm, before walking up the stairs.

***** 

Maggie watches him carefully as they wander through the collection, taking in original toys and comics panels; process art and movie posters.

He seems normal; like any other guy she’s been out with. He hides his secrets well under casual indifference and easy grins.

Unless he’s going after an army general with a crowbar. 

“So what possessed you to go after General Ross with a crowbar the other day?” Maggie asks as they keep walking, looking around.

“Ah, I was pre-coffee,” Jason tells her without looking at her. “I wasn’t thinking straight. He was bothering me and I did what I would do to one of my brothers. I never actually hit the guy. Just swung.” 

“And why a crowbar?” she asks, turning to watch him carefully.

“I don’t know,” Jason snorts. “Doesn’t the head of the counsel’s office go after people with a cricket bat?” 

Maggie grins. “He does.” She stops when they get to one of the displays and looks down at it, her eyes widening.

“What did you find?” Jason asks, stepping over to stand next to her.

“Wow,” she says quietly, tapping the glass at a sketch of Captain America. “The original sketches from the comic books. That’s really neat.” 

Jason gives a low whistle. “Cool. Does your dad know it’s here?” 

“I don’t know,” Maggie admits. “I’ll have to ask him.” 

They wander around a little more, taking things in, talking quietly as they do. 

Maggie takes a breath and turns to him, watching him read the descriptions on Walt Disney’s original sketches of Mickey Mouse. “Jason?” 

He looks up, eyebrows raising. “Yeah.” 

She opens her mouth to ask him. 

What was it like, being Robin? 

What was it like to die? Is he still affected by that? Does he think about it every day?

What was being homeless at such a young age like? Was he scared? Angry? 

If he was Robin, and Bruce Wayne was Batman, which one is he now?

It hits Maggie suddenly that if someone - anyone - out of the clear blue sky started asking her about what had happened to her in that warehouse in New Jersey, when Hydra had taken all the kids at Avengers Tower...

She’d be angry. She’d be blindsided. 

And if it were someone she thought she liked, she’d probably be hurt. 

So instead of asking all of the questions floating around her head, she grins at him a little. 

“Where do you wanna go after this?” 

Jason grins back, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I figured we’d grab a bite. I was gonna let you pick where.”   
Maggie just smirks. 

***** 

Madam’s Organ in Adams Morgan doesn’t usually hold their karaoke nights on Saturdays, but the DJ had had to cancel his usual Sunday show and was making up for it.

The second floor is dark and crowded, lit in pinks and reds. They manage to score a table, and Jason immediately orders a beer, and Maggie does the same, taking advantage of not being carded. 

“So?” Maggie asks, lifting a challenging eyebrow at him. “Do you...karaoke?” 

Jason laughs softly. “Not regularly, no.” 

“Okay, so when was the last time?” She asks him, lighting up when someone passes them the large binder full of song choices. 

“A few months ago,” Jason admits. “Before I came here. My older brother dragged all of us out to this dive bar in Old Gotham. He made everybody choose a song, and he made everybody sing. It was a nightmare.” 

Maggie laughs. 

“What about you?” he asks, looking at her with a grin. 

She flips through the book, smiling to herself. “My dad loves karaoke.” 

“What?” Jason asks, blinking. 

“Yep.” 

“Captain America loves- what?!” 

Maggie laughs again and sits back. “It wasn’t invented until after he got unfrozen. I think Uncle Thor’s friend Darcy dragged him and Uncle Bucky to a place in New York, and Dad just couldn’t get enough. He thinks it’s so fun.” 

“What does he sing?” Jason asks, still obviously in a little bit of shock.

“Billy Joel.” 

He laughs and shakes his head. “Of course he does.”

“What did you sing the last time you went?” Maggie asks as the waiter brings over their drinks.

Jason blows out a breath and sits back, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. “Shit. What was it? I think it was ‘Dead Man’s Party’ by Oingo Boingo.” 

“That’s a hell of a choice,” she says, looking amused, though knowing what she knows about him, she can’t feel too surprised. She supposes that if she had legitimately died once she’d make as many jokes about it as she could too. “Mine was ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.’” 

He chuckles as their waitress sets down their drinks and sips his. “Cute. You gonna sing tonight?” 

“Heck yes, I’m gonna sing tonight,” Maggie grins. ”I’m thinking very seriously about Britney Spears.” 

“That’s a choice,” Jason says into his beer. 

“What about you?” Maggie asks, leaning in. “What are you singing?” 

“Oh, I’m not,” he tells her. 

Her mouth drops open, and her eyes widen. “Excuse you. Yes, you are. We are in a place where there is karaoke, you can’t not sing.” 

“Yeah I can,” he laughs softly. “See? I’m doing it right now. All I have to do is continue to do it. Easy.” 

“What’s it going to take to get you up there?” Maggie asks quickly.

“Oh, Rogers,” Jason smiles as he sets his beer down. “There isn’t enough money in the-” 

And suddenly, his shirt is being gripped, and he’s being pulled in for a soft kiss. It’s relatively chaste, and sweet, but it’s nice. 

It’s…

He lets his eyes close briefly, and when she pulls away, Jason opens them, blinking a little. 

“Uh…” he stammers. “So...what did you want me to sing again?” 

Maggie smiles widely. “You can pick from the book.” 

“Yeah, okay.” 

***** 

Jason’s name gets called, and he finds that he’s nervous.

Being nervous is weird. He jumps off of rooftops and slugs dangerous criminals in the face. He went after an army general with a crowbar, but getting up in front of a bunch of strangers and the girl he’s on a date with to sing a song is…

His palms are a little sweaty, it’s hard to deny that.

He clears his throat as the music starts and waits for the cue to signal his start. He didn’t let Maggie see what he’d chosen, and she’d worried that he would be corny and pick Maggie Mae by Rod Stewart.

But if Jason is anything, he is not a Rod Stewart man. 

Springsteen on the other hand…

_“Screen door slams and Mary’s dress sways_

_Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays_

_Roy Orbison’s singin’ for the lonely_

_Hey that’s me and I want you only_

_Don’t turn me home again_

_I just can’t face myself alone again…”_

He can see Maggie smile widely and clap a little bit as he keeps singing. Jason isn’t a bad singer. He’ll fully admit that both Tim and Damian are way better than he is; Dick, too, but he does okay. 

He keeps singing, and can’t seem to stop looking at the blonde girl he’s on a date with. 

Holy hell, is she pretty when she smiles that way. It’s a good thing he knows all the words to this song already, or else he’d be fucking it up royally.

It’s not a long song, thankfully, so before he knows it, he’s on the last verse. 

_“There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away_

_They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned-out chevrolets_

_They scream your name at night in the streets_

_Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet_

_In the lonely cool before dawn_

_You hear their engines rolling on_

_When you get to the porch their gone_

_Lost on the wind_

_So Mary climb in_

_It’s a town full of losers, I’m pulling outta here to win.”_

He hands the mic back to the DJ as the instrumental section of the song takes over, and heads back to his seat to a lot more applause than he deserves. 

Jason blames the booze and the mood, and when he sits back down at their table, Maggie is still smiling that big smile of hers. 

“Wow.” 

“No. Not wow.” 

“Yes, wow!” she cries. “Where did you learn to sing like that?” 

“I’m not that good,” Jason laughs. “I’m gravely from all the cigarettes I used to smoke. And I was off-key.” 

“You were not,” Maggie argues. “Seriously, wow.” 

“Billionaires sometimes force their sons into music lessons when they bite the other kids at school,” Jason jokes. “As punishment. And also to learn to do something other than bite people.” 

“So you’re a Springsteen fan?” Maggie asks, laughing a little. 

“I’m sorry, are you not? That man is a hero,” Jason tells her. “Also from New Jersey. So he’s kind of a big deal in Gotham.” 

“Aah,” Maggie grins as she sips her beer. 

“Maggie R!” the DJ cries, and Jason watches as Maggie gets to her fit, grinning at him and smoothing down her dress. 

Jason sits back and claps loudly, giving her a “woo!” as she steps up. 

She’d like about Britney Spears, in a big way, because the song that starts is not something that was written in the last two decades. 

Or the last four.

Or the last six. 

_“Hold me close_

_And hold me fast_

_This magic spell you cast_

_This is la vie en rose_

_When you kiss me heaven sighs_

_And though I close my eyes_

_I see la vie en rose_

_When you press me to your heart_

_I’m in a world apart_

_A world where roses bloom…”_

If he thought he couldn’t take his eyes off of her while he was up there, he really can’t now. Jason finds himself taking a very large swig of his beer, his eyes wide.

Like him, she isn’t the best singer, but she’s pretty good. 

And she’s…

Ah, shit. 

He’s in big trouble. 

When she finishes, she gets as much applause as he did, and he finds himself clapping as well, a little clumsily. 

Fuck, is he bad at this. 

“That was great,” he tells her when she gets back. “It wasn’t Britney Spears, though.” 

Maggie laughs as she sits back down. “I’m glad you noticed. I actually grew up with a lot of older music because it’s what my dad listens to a lot.” 

“Right. Makes sense.” 

He can’t stop staring. He knows it’s weird. 

“What’s wrong?” she asks. She’s still smiling at him.

“Nothing,” he snaps. “Nope. Nothing’s wrong. I’m good.” He takes another swig of his beer as their waiter walks up. “Hey, the food’s here. Great.” 

Yep. 

He’s officially turned into Tim. 

He’s a fucking weirdo who can’t talk to girls.

Well.

This girl at least.

***** 

They’re both laughing as they walk down her street towards her place. They’re both a little tipsy, both from the beer and the night in general. Neither of them got up again to sing, but they had a great time watching the other patrons give it their all. 

“And then...that guy!” Maggie laughs. “That one guy with the handlebar mustache got up and sang Matchbox Twenty?” she laughs harder. 

Jason does, too. “Oh, god,” he groans. “He even tried to do the voice! The...the guy who sings- that guy! Who fuckin’ does that?” 

Maggie giggles and leans against him as they walk.

“And then there was that old lady who got up and started singing ‘I’m Too Sexy,’” Jason says, and wraps an arm around her shoulders as she giggles more against his shirt. 

“She started taking off her shirt!” Maggie cries. “I thought somebody was gonna call the cops.” 

“I was more worried that the whole bar would join in,” Jason admits, grinning. “And then we woulda had no choice but to strip right along with ‘em.” 

“Noo!” Maggie cries, pulling back, still laughing. “No, no, no. That would have been so bad.” 

“Ouch, am I that ugly?” he asks jokingly. 

“Oh, god no, you were the hottest guy in the whole place,” Maggie blurts out. 

They stop in front of her place, and Jason grins sheepishly. 

“Then I guess we make a good team,” he says. “Cuz you were the prettiest girl there.” 

She smiles a little and pushes her hair back, “So.” she turns toward her building. “This is me.” 

“It’s nice,” Jason says. “It looks like nice.” 

“Thanks.” 

“You good gettin’ up the stairs?” 

Maggie nods. “Yep. I got it. One leg, then the other.” 

He nods back. “Awesome. Then I’m gonna go home.” 

“Tonight was really great,” she says quickly before he can turn away. She steps closer to him, reaching out to tug on his sleeve. “Seriously, I had so much fun.” 

“Me, too,” Jason smiles, stepping closer.

The kiss is soft, and it doesn’t last too long, but it’s enough time for Maggie’s arms to wrap around his neck. 

Jason kisses her cheek after. “Have a good night, Rogers.” 

Maggie watches him step back and turn and takes a deep breath. “Hey, Jason?” 

He stops, but doesn’t turn toward her. 

“I...I know. About you. I know…” 

She can see him take a deep breath. 

“I know you know,” he says. 

“That’s...it’s something we should probably talk about sometime,” she says. “I didn’t wanna...tonight didn’t seem right to do that, but it’s something we should do.” 

He turns to her, and gives her a sad grin. “We will. I promise. We’ll grab some pie sometime, and we’ll talk about it.” 

Maggie nods, giving him a reassuring smile. “Okay.” 

Jason gives her a wave and turns to head off towards his place, leaving Maggie to stand in front of hers, taking a deep breath. 

A few moments after Jason turns the corner, her phone rings, and when Maggie looks down, it’s time find Annie’s photo popping up.

She lets it go to voicemail, and heads inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs sung were: 
> 
> Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen  
> La Vie En Rose (the English translation). The song is originally by Edith Piaf, but this song's been sung by tons of people.


	21. INTERLUDE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are not at all interested in mutant politics, the fact that the X-Men are inherently unsustainable as they are, the life and times of Kitty Pryde (AU version: bisexual/polyamorous), or just how problematic Colossus can be, you can skip this chapter. It doesn't really have anything to do with the main plot. Neither Jason nor Maggie appear here. There is no Bat-business to be seen. But I had a whole lot of fun writing it, and I wanted to share.

“Were you waiting for me to get here?” 

Josh Lyman gets to his feet, a decidedly sheepish look on his face. “No.” 

Kitty Pryde laughs and hugs him tightly with one arm, her sleeping daughter supported in her other, the little girl’s face smashed into her shoulder. “You definitely were. You’re such a sap.” 

“Yeah, but...don’t tell anybody, I’ve got a reputation as a brazen, reactionary jackass to uphold.” 

Kitty pulls away and beams at him. “Hey.” 

“Hi. How was the flight?” 

“Not bad,” Kitty nods. “Janie slept mostly, as you can see, and Pete got a couple hours, which is good. He’ll be less cranky for his meetings.” 

Josh snorts. “Yeah, because Pete Wisdom is just a ray of sunshine.” 

“And he’s all mine,” Kitty smirks. 

Josh chuckles and reaches out to tap Jane gently on the nose. “How’s she doin?” 

Kitty nods. “She’s good. Things at home are pretty chilled out right now, so she’s had both of us around a lot, which she loves. And we love it, too.” 

Josh grins at her. “You seem really happy.” 

“I actually am really happy,” Kitty admits. “I’m with a guy who respects, and likes, that I’m a bigger badass than he is, and our daughter is just about perfect.” 

“No, I’d say perfect is the right word.” 

Kitty smiles. “Hey, I gotta ask a favor.” 

“Name it.” 

“Leo is gonna be a jerk about it if I walk in with Janie,” Kitty explains. “You mind keeping an eye on her while I do this?” 

Josh shrugs. “I don’t see why not. If I’ve got stuff, Donna’s usually around. But I think you’re wrong about Leo.” 

“He’ll treat me like a mom, and not like a professional, and I don’t need that crap,” Kitty points out. 

“Yeah,” Josh sighs a little. “Yeah, you’re probably right. You couldn’t find a sitter?” 

“Logan’s in Japan,” Kitty says. “Ororo and Kurt are in Wakanda. Rachel’s leading a team, Illyana’s on leave. I don’t trust anyone else.” 

“You only still talk to like...five of them,” Josh points out. “Why are you sticking your neck out for the X-Men?” 

“Because old habits die hard,” Kitty shrugs as she shifts Janie into his arms, and brushes the little girl’s hair back. “Janie...Jane, wake up.” 

The little girl’s big brown eyes open, and she blinks and looks around, a little confused. She relaxes when she sees Kitty, and then lights up when she sees Josh.

“Uncle Josh!” 

Josh chuckles and lets her throw her arms around him. “Hey. My favorite niece is awake.” 

“Okay, kiddo, I have to go talk to a man about a fish,” Kitty tells Jane. “You are gonna hang out with Uncle Josh and I’ll be back in a little bit. You be good.” 

Jane nods. “Okay, Mummy.” 

“Thank you.” Kitty kisses her temple, and then pats Josh on the cheek. “You be good, too. I don’t wanna come back and find that you’ve got my kid running for office.” 

“She’d probably do a better job than the majority of congress,” Josh jokes. 

“Behave!” Kitty calls, as she walks off. “Both of you!” 

Josh sighs and grins at Jane. “You wanna go get a cupcake from the mess?” 

Jane lights up again. “I love cupcakes!” 

“Yeah, let’s go get one.” 

***** 

Ainsley Hayes frowns as she watches Kitty wait to go into Leo’s office. She hesitates to sit next to the other woman. It’s an odd move to do so, and also…  
Well...Kitty Pryde is a mutant. Mutants can be dangerous. 

But Ainsley forges ahead anyways, her curiosity getting the better of her as she sits down in the seat next to the brunette’s. 

“Miss Pryde, my name is Ainsley Hayes, I’m with the White House Counsel's office.” 

Kitty Pryde Blinks. “Hi. Nice to meet you.” 

“Can I ask you a question, Miss Pryde?” 

Kitty shrugs. “Sure. What’s up?” 

Ainsley takes a breath. “Democrats are just as afraid of mutants as Republicans. They’ve been trying to legislate them out of existence just as much, if not more sometimes. Democrats label all mutants as dangerous and unhinged just as often as Republicans.” 

“So why do I vote Democrat?” Kitty asks.

“Why do you vote Democrat?” Ainsley repeats. 

Kitty smiles at her. “Because Democrats hate Jews a lot less a lot of the time.” 

Ainsley freezes. 

“No Democrat has ever insulted me over my Judaism,” Kitty nods. “I can’t say that about Republicans. As much as they’re all terrified of mutants, Democrats are pretty committed to leaving Jews alone, and letting us practice our religion in peace and quiet. Republicans - not all of them, but enough of them - don’t like Jews.” 

“That’s not-” 

“We don’t believe in Jesus, and a lot of us still speak little bits and pieces of broken Yiddish,” Kitty shrugs. “We pray on Saturdays, and not Sundays, and we have different holidays. We have a different calendar and we wear funny shawls and hats and we have the Torah instead of the Bible. Republicans aren’t big fans, and they never have been.” 

“Miss Pryde-” 

“I get the fear and hate of mutants,” Kitty goes on. “We are dangerous, a lot of the time. My boyfriend shoots bolts of fire literally as hot as the sun, out of his fingers. My ex can turn into metal. My girlfriend can open up a portal to a demon dimension and leave people there. But Jews? Jews, really? Jews are to be hated? Because we don’t have Jesus in our hearts? Because we don’t subscribe to the New Testament?” 

Ainsley looks away. 

“Sometimes Republicans are a little too close to the goose-steppers for me,” Kitty says quietly. “Maybe that’s not fair, I don’t know. The point is, Republicans don’t like Jews, and I had a lot of family in Europe during World War II who were given a big shpiel about how important cleanliness was as they were being marched to the showers. So if my vote can stop something like that from happening again, well...” 

Silence hangs over the two women for a moment.

“Democrats don’t seem to care how I pray to God. So I vote Democrat.” 

Ainsley gets to her feet and smooths out her skirt. “Thank you for answering my question,” she says quickly. 

“Any time,” Kitty grins as she watches her go. 

Margaret watches from her desk. “My grandfather hid his neighbors in their attic in Poland,” she says. “I still exchange Holiday cards with their family every year.” She grins sadly. “Let me see if Leo’s ready for you yet.” 

“Thanks, Margaret,” Kitty nods. 

***** 

“Did you guys go visit your mom’s family before you got here?” Josh asks as he walks around with Jane settles on his shoulders. She’s eating a cupcake, and she might be getting crumbs in his hair, but he’s not too worried about it.

“No,” Jane says. “Mummy says we’ll stop by on the way back.” 

“Yeah?” 

“She said maybe Daddy an’ I would go home and she would, and then she would meet us at home,” Jane goes on. 

“Yeah.” 

“I don’t like it there,” Jane says. “Piotr is scary.” 

Josh frowns as they wander towards the communications office. “Did he say anything mean to you? Do anything mean to you?” 

“He looks at me funny.” 

Josh glances up at her and grins. “You ever think he looks at everybody funny?” 

Jane giggles. 

“Josh,” Toby says as he steps past them towards his office. “There’s a preschooler on your head.” 

“Yeah. Kitty’s here, I’m hangin’ out with Janie for a little while,” Josh says. 

“Hi, Mr. Toby,” Jane waves her cupcake. “Would you like some cake?” 

Toby grins a little. “No. Thank you. But I bet Josh would love to have some more frosting in his hair.” 

“Always,” Josh drawls. “What do you got next?” 

Toby blows out a breath. “Al Caldwell and Mary Marsh.” 

Josh groans. “Again?” 

“Yeah. They’re here to talk about Sex Education in schools. Again.” 

“What’s that?” Jane asks. 

“Grown-up stuff,” Josh says softly. “Don’t worry about it.” He turns back to Toby. “You want me to come with you?” 

“There’s still a four-year-old on your head.” 

“We’ll walk you over there, at least,” Josh says. “I was gonna take Janie to the Oval. The President mentioned wanting to say hi.” 

Toby nods. “Yeah.” 

They start walking, passing Charlie on the way. 

“Hey, Janie, gimme five,” Charlie grins, lifting a hand. 

Jane giggles and taps his hand with her much smaller one. 

“Hey, Charlie, he got a minute?” Josh asks as they keep walking. 

“Yeah, a couple,” Charlie nods. “You takin’ her over?” 

“Yep.” 

Toby blows out a breath as they all walk down the hall and stops just before they get to the Rose room. He turns and looks up at Jane. “You know? I think I will...take a little cake.” 

Jane beams and holds the messy bits out to him. Toby takes a small piece and pretends to eat it. 

“You better hope to god nobody saw that,” Josh jokes. 

“Yeah,” Toby nods, and takes a breath as Caldwell and Marsh walk up. “Reverend. Miss Marsh.” 

“Toby,” Al says, grinning broadly. “Josh, I didn’t know you were in this meeting?” 

“No, I’m not, Reverend, Janie and I just walked Toby over,” Josh says. “Janie, this is Reverend Caldwell, and Miss Marsh.” 

Janie waves her bits of cupcake again. “Hullo.” 

Mary Marsh smiles at her, the warmest smile Josh and Toby have ever seen from the woman. “Hello, there.” 

“Janie’s mother is and old friend and she’s here for a couple of meetings, so I’m looking after her for a while,” Josh grins. 

“That’s very nice of you,” the Reverend says. “Janie, are you having a good time?” 

Jane nods. “Uncle Josh got me a cupcake.” 

Josh sighs and looks at his watch. “It was nice seeing you both, but we’ve got a couple of stops to make before Kitty’s meeting gets out.” 

“Kitty?” Mary asks, her smile falling. “Kitty Pryde? Her mother is Kitty Pryde?” 

“Yeah.” 

“There’s a mutie in the building?” 

Silence falls over all of them.

“I beg your pardon, what did you call Miss Pryde?” Toby asks. 

“Mary,” Caldwell says harshly. “That was...uncalled for. Especially in this setting.” 

“But it’s okay somewhere else?” Josh asks, stunned. 

“Oh, please, don’t you take the high road with me Josh Lyman-” Mary snaps. “And don’t pretend like these...freaks have any-” 

“Meeting’s off,” Toby says quickly. “I’ll escort you both to the door.” 

The Reverend deflates. “Toby-” 

“Katherine Pryde is a respected member of the UN,” Toby says. “She has two Phds, and she’s fought tooth and nail for the rights of her people, whether they’re Jewish, woman or mutants. We don’t use that word. Not here. Not ever.” 

They all stare at each other for a long moment, and Josh feelings Jane’s body tense as she watches from his shoulders.

“I’ll show you both out,” Toby says. “Please follow me.” 

Josh watches them follow Toby without another word, and blows out a breath before glancing up at Jane. “You okay?” 

Jane frowns. “That lady was mean. That’s a bad word.” 

“Yeah,” Josh nods. “Yeah, it is. Let’s go see someone nice, huh?”

“Okay,” Jane says sadly. 

***** 

“I’m not saying go easy on them,” Kitty says. “I’m saying maybe there should be another set of guidelines and standards for them.” 

“They’re a school,” Leo says. “If they’re teaching kids, then they’re a school and they should operate like a school. If all Scott Summers is doing is teaching these kids how to fight wars, that’s not a school, that’s a cult.” 

“Leo-” 

“Kitty, I know you’re trying to help them, and I know why, but has it ever occurred to you that they don’t deserve your help?” 

Kitty goes quiet. 

“Things have changed since you were there,” Leo says slowly. “Summers isn’t the idealistic kid he once was. Two wives have died on him, multiple times...his son was taken from him and came back older than he is...M-Day happened, to say nothing of the mess that was Utopia. He died, too. Scott Summers is a different man now then when you were a kid. He’s different even from the days when you were a young adult on his team. And after everything that’s happened, the government is nervous.” 

“You think he’ll snap,” Kitty says. 

“We know he’ll snap,” Leo tells her. “It’s just a question of when.” 

Kitty takes a deep breath. “I’m not taking the reins again. I have a job and a kid and a life, and I like it.” 

“Don’t you think that says something?” Leo asks. “That your life is better now that you’re done with the X-Men?” 

“That’s me,” Kitty points out. “It’s not everybody. And it’s not like I traded it in for anything that much saner. My boyfriend runs MI13. He literally runs a department whose predecessors name was The Weird Happenings Organization.” 

“Yeah. A government sanctioned team,” Leo counters. “Accountable for its actions, and serving the public and not just their own interests.” 

“Hey. The X-Men have done a lot of good!” 

“Mostly by accident.” 

“Oh, come on.” 

Leo shakes his head. “Kitty, we’re sending in an inspection team. They’re going to look into the school. If they’ve got nothing to hide, and things look good, then good. If not...we’ll go from there. You have a lot of good will with the White House, because you’re good friends with my deputy, you raised visibility with mutant and Jewish voters, and Pete’s team lent their services when the president asked. But you can’t save the X-Men from themselves.” 

Kitty looks down. 

“I know it’s hard. I know they’re important to you.” 

She looks up again. “Let me on the inspection team.” 

Leo rolls his eyes. “Kitty…” 

“I went to school there. I taught there, hell, I was the headmistress. I know what it’s supposed to be like,” Kitty says quickly. “And I bet there aren’t any mutants on the inspection crew yet.” 

“Kitty-” 

“I won’t go easy on them,” Kitty promises. “I swear. But I wanna see for myself what’s going on. If it’s as bad as you think it is, then yes. Something needs to be done, but if it’s not, I’ll know.” 

“You can’t go easy on them,” Leo says. “If I let you on the inspection team, and it turns out that they’re a mess, and you defend them, you’re out. You won’t get a say in how to move forward. Do you understand?” 

“I understand.” 

“You love these people,” Leo says quietly. “Do you love them enough to tell them the truth?” 

Kitty levels him with a look. “You bet your ass.” 

“Okay,” Leo nods. “Okay. Fine. So far it’s you and Steve Rogers. We’re still talking to the board of ed.” 

Kitty nods back. 

“Don’t make me regret this, Kitty,” Leo tells her. “And don’t you dare give them a head’s up. We wanna know what it’s really like over there.” 

“No warnings,” Kitty promises. “Got it.” 

“They might hate you for this,” Leo points out. 

Kitty grins a little. “I left one of their favorite sons at the altar and ran away to London to have a baby with the ex they hate the most. They already hate me for a lot of things.” 

***** 

“Hey, Mrs. Landingham.” 

She looks up, amused and curious. “Josh. Is that frosting in your hair?” 

“Yes.” 

“Hullo,” Jane smiles. “I had a cupcake.” 

“Oh, I see,” Mrs. Landingham grins. 

“Janie, this is the President’s secretary, Mrs. Landingham. Mrs. Landingham, this is Kitty Pryde’s daughter, Janie Wisdom.” 

“Hi, there,” Mrs. Landingham says. She gets to her feet and goes to a drawer. “I think you need a wetnap.” 

“Me, or her?” Josh asks. 

“Does it matter?” 

“...I guess not. Does he have a couple minutes?” 

“A couple,” Mrs. Landingham says as she comes back and starts cleaning Jane’s hands. “You wanna leave Janie here with me?” 

“Nah, the President wanted to say hi.” 

“Okay.” 

Josh sighs and takes the wetnap from her and starts cleaning his hair. 

Mrs. Landingham knocks on the Oval Office door before stepping in. “Josh is here with Janie Wisdom.” 

“Oh, yes!” the President grins. “Send them in.” 

A moment later, Josh walks in, Jane still on his shoulders as he tries his best to clean the frosting from his hair. 

The President frowns. “...do I get an explanation, or…?” 

“I had a cupcake,” Jane grins broadly. 

Bartlet nods, understanding. “Josh, did it not occur to you that when you give a preschooler a cupcake, they will make a mess?” 

“It did, but at the time, I wasn’t really ready for how much of a mess, sir. And it’s been a while since I read ‘If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.’” 

“Why don’t you put Janie on the couch,” the President says. “So you can finish straightening up.” 

Josh nods and dumps Jane on one of the couches, before turning around to handle his hair. 

“Hi, Janie,” Bartlet grins. 

“Hullo, Mr. President.” 

“Are you enjoying your time here?” 

“Yes! I had a cupcake and we saw Mr. Toby,” she nods, but then frowns. “But there were mean people.” 

Josh freezes, cringing before turning around again.

“Mean people?” Bartlet exaggerates the words. “In my White House? How dare they. Who were these mean people?” 

“Mr. President-” Josh starts. 

“They were…” Jane frowns, looking sad. “They called mummy a mutie. That’s a bad word.” 

Bartlet frowns, sobering up. “Yes, Janie. That is a very bad word.” 

“Mr. President,” Josh says again. “Toby was meeting with Mary Marsh and Al Caldwell, and we were saying hello, and Mary Marsh had a negative reaction when she found out who Janie’s mom is.” 

“...I see.” 

“Toby escorted them out,” Josh says. “He’ll probably reschedule the meeting, but he didn’t feel comfortable…” 

“Yeah.” Bartlet rubs his face, before lowering his voice. “Josh, I want you to call Al Caldwell and tell him that if Mary Marsh ever sets foot inside my White House again, I’m going to make her sit in here with me for however long it takes to make her understand that the type of Christianity she practices isn’t Christianity, it’s just hate.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

***** 

“I’m not saying we should kill Mary Marsh,” Pete Wisdom says before taking a sip of his whiskey. “All I’m saying is that I’ve killed for less.” 

“Mary Marsh is the least of my worries right now,” Kitty tells him as she picks at the remaining food on her plate. 

They’d left Jane to be doted on by the president and first lady, and picked Ted’s Bulletin for dinner: a homey spot in Northwest with art deco decor, old movies playing on a projector, and a distinctly American menu, complete with homemade pop tarts.

“As pissed as I am that she decided to pull out the M word in front of my daughter,” Kitty grouses, “I’m more worried about the Xavier School inspection.” 

“Because they’re going to fail?” Donna asks sympathetically. 

“Big time,” Kitty nods. “Most of the old guard has either gotten so weird and twisted from everything they’ve been through that they can’t possibly relate to a new generation of kids, let alone teach them, or they’re so tired of all the weird that they don’t know what to do anymore.” 

“Or they’ve left,” Josh points out. “Isn’t Ororo in Wakanda full time now?” 

“Yep,” Kitty tells him. “Kurt, Rachel, Illyana...they’re all only part-time at the school. Bobby Drake does his best to hold down the fort, but with Scott as headmaster, he doesn’t get a lot of say.” 

“You said Logan is in Japan?” Pete asks. 

“Madripoor. Again.” Kitty swishes her wine back and forth in her glass. “Which is where he goes when he’s fed up. Which he is.” 

Josh sits back, looking thoughtful as their waitress clears their plates. “When was the last time the Xavier School had any competition?” 

Kitty tilts her head, narrowing her eyes. “Well...there was a time when Utopia existed at the same time as the Jean Grey School…” 

“And before that, there was the Massachusetts Academy,” Pete points out. 

“Which eventually turned into an Xavier school, too,” Kitty tells him. “That’s where Jubilee went.” 

“So,” Josh shrugs. “What about a government-funded school for mutants?” 

“That’s rich,” Kitty snaps. “To at least half of America, the only good mutant is a dead one. They’re not going to agree to their tax dollars being put toward funding a school.” 

Josh blows out a breath. “I’m spitballing, I admit it, but there’s gotta be a way for mutants to get a decent education and instruction on controlling their powers without having to go through hell to do it.” 

“You may be onto something,” Pete muses. “There’s nothing that says the school has to be American in origin. There are tons of international schools all over Europe.” 

“Funded by the U.S. state department,” Donna points out. “Which goes back to American tax dollars.” 

“What about the UN?” Josh asks. “They fund the International School in New York, why not an international mutant school?” 

Kitty huffs out a breath. “Where? Another school in New York? That’s so close to the X-Men. And who’s gonna staff it?” 

“Right,” Pete snaps. “You pick another state and you put it there, with a location on every other continent on the planet as well. You put one in England. You put one in Wakanda. Anywhere where mutants can live quietly and safely, you put a school that specializes in teaching them to control their powers and also everything else they need to know to be a proper adult in the real world.” 

“With whose money?” Kitty asks. “I don’t know if the UN has the budget for that kind of thing, and most of their budget is still paid for by the United States.” 

“So tell the racist arseholes to sit the fuck down,” Pete wrinkles his nose. 

“Which is all well and good for you to say, when you’ve never lived here,” Donna says. “But in the meantime Mary Marsh still called your wife a mutie and a freak without hesitation in front of your four-year-old daughter.”

“So we fail ‘em,” Josh snaps. “The New York school board is corrupt as hell, and we’re sending in our own committee for a reason, so we fail them so hard they have to change. The secretary of education gets so pissed he demands that the Xavier School change hands to a new headmaster or headmistress.”

“Scott’s not gonna step down without a fight,” Kitty points out. “This is his legacy. And who takes over in his place?” 

Pete grins a little. 

Kitty lifts an eyebrow at him. “Oh god. Who?” 

He sips more of his whiskey. “Jean Grey.” 

Josh blinks, going quiet for a moment. “Didn’t she eat a planet once? And like die a bunch?” 

“Yeah, but now she’s running a shelter for homeless and runaway mutants in Harlem,” Kitty explains slowly. “As long as Scott is there, she won’t come back. Logan tried.” 

“The old man left the school’s trust to both of them, though, when he died,” Pete argues. “And she left willingly when she saw the writing on the bloody wall. If the government shitcans Summers, and labels him unfit to teach or lead, there’s no reason for her to stay away.” 

“But how do we keep Scott away?” Kitty asks. 

Donna shrugs as she sips her wine. “Arrest him for child endangerment,” she says absently. “If things are as bad as everyone seems to think they are, there’s not a judge in the world that wouldn’t give the man at least a restraining order, if not jail time.” 

Kitty blinks. “That’s...actually brilliant. But what stops the government from going after the rest of the staff?” 

“Cooperation for full immunity,” Josh says. “At least for the part-timers who don’t agree with Scott. And the rest of ‘em deserve to get the book thrown at them just as hard as Summers if they were with him in all of this, and it’s that bad.” 

“And what if it’s not as bad as we think it is?” Donna asks. 

Kitty shakes her head. “I walk through the walls of universes, Donna. I’m not sure one exists where Scott isn’t abusing his power as headmaster of the Xavier school, intentionally or not.”

“Are you stopping by on the way home?” Pete asks Kitty. “I know that was on the table.” 

“I probably will,” Kitty sighs. “Just to get everybody’s temperature on the inspection. There’s no way they don’t know it’s coming.”

“You uh...you may not wanna take Janie with you,” Josh says, a little awkwardly. “She mentioned Piotr Rasputin looking at her funny.” 

Pete blinks, going quiet, and downing the rest of his whiskey before turning to Kitty. “Now can I kill that fuckwit?” 

“No,” Kitty snaps. I’ll deal with it.” 

“Will you?” Pete asks. “Cuz you’ve been saying those exact words for a very long time, and he continues to get away with murder.” 

Josh watches as Kitty leans in to say something quietly to Pete, and he rolls his eyes, but nods. 

Under the table, he feels Donna hook one of her fingers with one of his, and he frowns. 

***** 

He goes back to his office after having put Donna in a cab and seen Kitty and Pete off to the residence to pick up Janie.

“Do you ever just...go home and sleep?” 

He doesn’t glance up at Kitty. “Don’t you have a husband and daughter to get back to your hotel room?” 

“Partner, and yeah,” Kitty admits. “But I wanted to talk to you first.” 

“About what?” 

“About how quiet you got after you mentioned Piotr.” 

Josh snorts as he checks his email. 

“Josh-” 

“What do you want me to say, Kitty?” he asks. “You want me to say that I’m totally fine with the guy still being around you and your kid?” 

“Josh…” 

He shakes his head and finally looks up at her. “He nearly killed Pete that one time, and when you called me, I told you to press charges. I told you Pete should press charges, and you ignored me. To say nothing of what happened when we were kids.” 

“Don’t.” 

“Why not?” Josh asks softly. “Why shouldn’t I? You were fourteen. He was twenty.” he shakes his head. “You know, if you really wanna sink the Xavier School, all you have to do is admit under oath that Piotr Rasputin put his hands where they didn’t belong when you were too young to say yes, and every other adult in that house looked the other way.” 

“He didn’t-” 

“Yeah, he did,” Josh snaps, getting to his feet. “He was a grown man, Kitty. Young, but an adult, and you weren’t. You know, I always thought the age difference with Wisdom was weird, but you were at least legal when you guys started hooking up, and we both know that if you say no, he listens. Every damn time.” 

Silence falls over the office. 

“I know you have complicated feelings for Piotr,” Josh says quietly. “I know you gave him what he wanted when he wanted it because you thought you loved him, and you thought he loved you. But I also know that you were too scared not to.” 

Kitty doesn’t look at him. 

Josh sighs heavily, walking around the desk and over to her, offering her a hug. 

She hesitates for a moment before takes a sharp breath and stepping forward, hugging him. 

“I only say this stuff because I care,” he tells her. “And my mouth is too big not to.”

“I know,” Kitty says, pulling away. “But you’re lucky I don’t phase your brain out of your head and and freeze it for my morning smoothies.” 

“I’m aware.” 

They both grin a little. 

She pushes at his shoulder a little. “Seriously though, when are you going to ask Donna out on a real date.” 

“She’s my assistant, Kitty.” 

“That you’re kind of in lo-” 

“Don’t-’ 

“Josh-” 

He shakes his head. “Call me when you get back to London.” 

“Yeah.” Kitty grins at him. “Come visit, sometime.” 

“Sure, I’ll get right on that,” he cracks, looking around his office. “They don’t need me around here at all. I don’t play an integral part in our government and...how we function day-to-day.” 

She shoves his face, before heading for the door.

“Hey - Kitty.” 

She turns back to him quizzically. 

“Illyana,” Josh says carefully. “She’s not really on leave, is she?”

Kitty shakes her head. “No. She’s been sightseeing and hanging out in our hotel room, because my girlfriends get those kinds of privileges.” 

“How’s that workin’ out? Having your cake and eating it too.” 

“Awesome,” she smirks. 

Josh nods slowly as he watches her go. 

“Put us all out of our misery and kiss Donna,” she says as she disappears down the hall. 

He blows out a breath, and sits back in his chair.


	22. Chapter 22

Bruce Wayne frowns deeply at the man sitting across from him. He’s in DC yet again, and he’s sitting in Marcel’s; a beautiful and expensive French restaurant near Spain’s embassy. 

Across from him sits Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, looking uncomfortable to say the least.

“Why here?” Ross asks, looking around as he adjusts his tie. 

Bruce stays straight-faced, looking at Ross like it should be obvious. “They have a caviar service.”

General Ross looks like at him as if he is certifiably insane, and Bruce just grins, mostly because Bruce doesn’t actually like caviar all that much, but also because he enjoys making people uncomfortable.

Just in general. It passes the time.

“Sorry I’m late!” 

Bruce watches as Ross looks up, his eyes widening and his mouth forming a snarl, as Jason dashes over and takes a seat. 

“Hey. Sorry. Hi.” 

“You are very late, young man,” Bruce comments, still keeping his straight face. “Where were you?”

“Alfred got stuck in traffic,” Jason says. “He wouldn’t let me take the metro because he said my suit would get dirty and I wasn’t allowed to show up here in a dirty suit.” 

“Yes, well, Alfred was right,” Bruce comments. He takes a breath and gives Ross a polite smile. “I wanted Jason here so that I could make certain he apologized to you, and we could talk about whatever it was you wanted to talk about.” 

“Is this some kind of joke?” Ross snaps. “That kid tried to kill me!” 

“Did not,” Jason cuts in petulantly. “Crowbars don’t kill people. Explosions in Ethiopia do.” 

Bruce drops character for just moment to give Jason an unimpressed look. “Jason Peter Todd. You came here for a specific reason, did you not?” 

Jason blows out a breath. “Right. Yes.” He looks at Ross seriously. “General, I apologize for my behavior last week. My temper got the better of me, and I acted with poor judgement.” 

“There,” Bruce grins. “That was very good, Jason.” 

Ross snorts, crossing his arms and leaning back. “I’ll accept that apology when Wayne Tech agrees to start making weapons for the military.” 

Bruce gives Ross a confused look, tilting his head. “General, I’m sure Jason has told you before, Wayne Enterprises does not make weapons. The closest we get are high grade butcher’s knives for professional kitchens.” 

“Well you better start,” Ross snaps. 

“And why is that?” Bruce asks, narrowing his eyes. “You have many other suppliers of weapons, you work for the US military. You have weapons contractors lining up around the block to provide their wares. Why us?” 

“Because you’re the best!” Ross cries. “You’re one of the only companies in the world who can make what we really need, and make it right.” 

Bruce stays quiet for a long moment. “So...you’re not just looking for weapons in general. You want us to build a specific weapon.” 

“I...no,” Ross says, fumbling. “No of...of course not. But...Wayne Tech is one of the most innovative companies in existence. You, along with Stark, you made the world run. Why wouldn’t we want to work with you?” 

“Because neither my company, nor Pepper’s , makes weapons,” Bruce says again. “For very specific reasons, as I know you know, because Jason has laid them out for you repeatedly, and I heard Annie Stark stopped by to have a talk with the DoD.” 

“Mister Wayne -” 

“I’m sorry, General,” Bruce cuts him off gently. “The answer is still no.” 

“You’ll regret this, Wayne,” Ross snarls, as he gets to his feet. “You’ll look back on today and wish to god you’d said yes to me.” 

“I feel like he’s said that before,” Jason stage-whispers. “Possibly to his prom date.” 

Bruce squeezes his eyes shut briefly, attempting not to react. “Was there anything else you needed, General?” 

Ross growls again,and storms off. When they hear the door slam, Jason turns to Bruce. 

“So?” 

“So, you could have held back the snide comments,” Bruce tells him. 

“I meant-” 

“I know,” Bruce cuts him off. “I think there’s a lot more going on than we think. If he has a weapon in mind, then there are schematics somewhere. We’ll have to find them.” 

“I can-” 

“No,” Bruce interrupts again.

Jason deflates. “B.” 

“You promised Leo,” Bruce reminds him. “And you promised me. While you’re here in DC, you’re sidelined. I’ll send your sister.” 

Jason lights up again. “Hey! Cass gets to come visit? Awesome.” 

Bruce chuckles softly as he sips his coffee. “Don’t get too excited. I’ll need your help on another front. And you and I still have a lot to talk about.” 

Jason frowns. 

“The crowbar in your office?”

“Funny joke?” 

“Jason,” Bruce says firmly. 

He squirms. 

Bruce sighs softly. “Jason, if you need to go back to therapy, we can find someone here, or I can ask Leslie to come down to see you.” 

“I’m not- I don’t-” 

They both go silent and Jason deflates once more. 

“I guess it couldn’t hurt,” he says quietly. 

Bruce nods, and pats his shoulder. “I’ll ask when she’s got a little time.” 

“Yeah.” 

“In the meantime,” Bruce goes on. “While Cass gets the schematics, I’ll need you to set up a meeting with Colonel Trevor.” 

Jason wrinkles his nose. “Ugh.” 

“Jason. I know you’re not Steve’s biggest fan, and I know why, but-” 

“You don’t know,” Jason snaps. 

Bruce’s lip twitches upward. “Of course I do. You’ve had a crush on Diana since you were a kid.” 

Jason stares at him for a long moment. “I hate you.” 

“By the way, how was your date with the reporter?” 

“I hate you so much.” 

“I’m glad it went well.” 

***** 

Leo sighs deeply as he steps into the situation room. It’s empty, save Fitzwallace, who is sitting in his usual seat, a file in front of him. 

“General.” 

“Hi, Leo.” 

Leo sits down next to him, and they let silence engulf the room for a long, drawn out moment. 

“General, I know the the military is very dedicated to handling internal problems themselves,” Leo says, his voice low. “But if there’s something that we should know…” 

“It’s being handled, Leo,” Fitzwallace tells him. “There is a problem.” 

“And it’s the DoD.” 

“It’s handled.” 

“I don’t know that it is,” Leo says. “It doesn’t seem to be, with Annie Stark accusing senators of-” 

“There’s a list,” Fitzwallace interrupts him. “The Starks have it. Ten government officials who helped Stane and benefited from what he was doing, and they’re going to use it.” 

“Okay. So. We cooperate with the Starks.” 

“Yes, but there’s more.” 

Leo takes a breath and nods. “There alway is.” 

“There’s an eleventh name,” Fitzwallace admits. “I don’t know who it is. The Starks don’t know one even exists. But I know who has it.” 

Leo stares at him, eyes going wide. “Are you telling me that someone is blackmailing the DoD into doing their bidding to keep that name under wraps?” 

Fitzwallace gives a nod. “We’re handling it.” 

“Handling it?!” Leo cries. “You’re handling- the FBI should be involved, you’re handling it. General-” 

“Leo-” 

“Who has the name?” 

“Leo-” 

Leo gets to his feet, obviously angry. “We’ve already got ten guys who colluded in war profiteering and treason, and there’s an eleventh that nobody knows except one guy who won’t give it to us because he wants weapons!” 

Fitzwallace looks up at him. “Leo, I know you wanna kick some doors in and just clean this mess up, but it’s more delicate than you think. I’m working with Nancy McNally and Steve Trevor to get this thing put to bed. Trust me on this one, Leo. We can get it done without anyone knowing.” 

“And in the meantime, I’m supposed to tell the President what?” Leo snaps. “‘The DoD is being strong-armed by a mysterious stranger into publicly humiliating themselves for weapons, but don’t worry, it’s being handled’?” 

Fitzwallace nods slowly. ‘Yes.”

Leo shakes his head. “It damned well better by handled. And soon.” 

***** 

“How’d the date go?” 

Maggie rolls her eyes as she settles into the press room. “I thought you didn’t want me to go.” 

“I never said that, I just said to be careful,” Danny defends himself. “There’s a difference.” 

She laughs a little as they sit down. “It went well. Jason is definitely full of surprises.” 

“The good kind, I hope,” Danny teases. 

Maggie rolls her eyes again.

"Keep it up, they'll get stuck that way," Danny chuckles.

***** 

“Why would I know anything?” Steve Trevor says as he settles down into the chair across from Jason’s desk. 

Jason, for his part, looks incredibly annoyed. Bruce had been right, he wasn’t a big fan of Steve Trevor; not just because the man has been in a long-running relationship with his childhood crush, but because he’s insufferably smug a lot of the time. 

Or maybe just with Jason. 

“Because you have close ties to the DoD and with White House military advisers,” Jason points out. “And whatever is going on, there’s no way you don’t have some kind of information.” 

Trevor grins. It’s a kind grin and it makes Jason want to punch him. 

“It’s okay, Jason,” he says. “This is handled.” 

“Ir Ross is flipping shit-” 

“Ross is always flipping shit,” Trevor cuts him off. “Flipping shit is his baseline. This is a government issue, Jay. It’s not bat-business, it’s not League business, and it’s not Wayne business.” 

Jason stares at the man for a long moment, a deep frown settling on his lips. “You don’t want Bruce to know what’s going on.” 

“It’s government-” 

“Somebody caught the DoD with their pants down in a truck stop bathroom somewhere in Mexico with a donkey, right?” Jason asks jokingly. “C’mon, General. You know that Bruce isn’t gonna leak anything to any press.” 

“It’s not about that,” Steve says firmly. “It has nothing to do with what Bruce Wayne would do.” 

Jason blinks. “It’s about what Batman would do.” 

“I didn’t say that,” Steve says quickly. 

“You didn’t have to,” Jason responds. “This is past league business, isn’t it? This is dredging old, bad things, and you don’t want B involved because you know he’ll let-” 

“It’s not. Batman.” 

Silence settles over the room again, and Jason blinks, running through the options. 

“...Oh shit.” 

“Stop trying to guess, Jason.” 

Jason laughs softly. “Oh, shit!” 

Steve shakes his head and gets to his feet. “I’m leaving.” 

“You can if you want to, but it won’t stop me from telling Superman that something is going on.” 

Trevor stops in his tracks.

“There it is,” Jason smiles. “You know as well as I do that they made the ‘no secrets’ agreement years ago. Bruce mentions something is up at a League meeting, and suddenly Clark knows.. But why would Superman care? He’s not like B or Stark. He doesn’t have a billion-dollar tech company.” 

“Jason-” 

“Clark’s not big into politics unless it’s for the whole journalist schtick. Otherwise, as long as ordinary people get to live ordinary lives, with their rights fully intact, he’s not that into it.” 

Steve closes his eyes. “Dammit, Jason.” 

“So why play keep-away from the Kryptonian?” Jason asks. 

Trevor shakes his head and leaves. 

Jason grins widely. “Oh man. This just got good.”


End file.
